Irish Examiner view: Putin's absence puts a question mark over Ukraine peace talks
Firefighters tackle one of the blazes in the village of Bilopillya, Sumy, following a Russian air raid on Wednesday. Picture: Ukrainian Emergency Services/AP
Last weekend, Russian president Vladimir Putin was the one who suggested direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul — raising hopes of meaningful discussions which might bring an end to a war that has claimed thousands of lives.
Yet, when the Kremlin eventually named its delegation for those talks, Putin was conspicuous by his absence. This is despite an invitation from Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to come to Turkey for in-person discussions.
The Russian delegation may number various ministers and aides in its ranks, but it does not include the country’s two most senior diplomats, Yuri Ushakov and Sergei Lavrov.
Its credibility is further undermined by the most crucial absentee. Nobody doubts that the main driver of Russian policy here, as in everything else in that country, is Putin himself. If he is not present in Turkey, then questions will legitimately be asked about the authority of his proxies in these negotiations.
Zelenskyy articulated this view when comparing the Russian delegation to “a theatre prop”, adding: “What we do know for certain is who actually makes decisions on the Russian side. And we will act accordingly.”
If Putin’s absence or Zelenskyy’s comments appear petty, it should not be forgotten that much of diplomacy is a form of pettiness — an inching towards minute advantage.
The mutual distrust which is visible between these two sides is far more serious, however, and casts doubt over the possibility of constructive engagement.
One of the few hopeful signs is the American presence in Turkey — “at a high level”, according to Zelenskyy — but there must be doubts about the prospects of any agreement when it is far from clear that talks will even take place.
If the two sides cannot even sit around a table then a cessation of hostilities, along with an end to the killing, seems as far away as ever.
A cornerstone of Cork City’s religious life for decades looks to be on the verge of a remarkable comeback.
For almost a century, tens of thousands of Cork people marched in the annual Eucharistic procession held to mark the feast of Corpus Christi.
Walking in groups from parish churches around the city, the crowds would meet at Daunt’s Square in the centre of town and receive benediction en masse.
The tradition took off in the 1920s, but had faded away considerably in recent years with the fall-off in both church attendance and vocations. Since covid, the benediction had been held indoors. However, in 2023, more than 4,000 people walked from the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne for benediction at Saints Peter and Paul’s Church.
Now, Bishop Fintan Gavin is moving the benediction ceremony outdoors next month. A stage and altar are due to be erected on the Grand Parade to accommodate the crowds which are expected.
What is striking is the way this Cork tradition has been taken up by newcomers to the city in particular.
“This year’s procession will have participants from every continent and many countries,” Bishop Gavin said this week.
“Cork’s Catholic parishes have been welcoming newcomers to Cork for a couple of decades now, and they are making a very valuable contribution to the life of our parishes and our diocese.”
It is understood that families and individuals from the Brazilian, Polish, Indian, and Ukrainian communities have made up a significant proportion of those marching in the procession in recent years.
At a time when there is so much disinformation — or lies, in plain language — being peddled about newcomers to this country, it is encouraging to see an old native tradition being taken up enthusiastically by those who have recently arrived on these shores.
For older readers, that tradition will only be fully restored when attendees walk from the Grand Parade up to the Mardyke for the annual Eucharistic Cup game between the Glen and the Barrs — but one step at a time.
Ireland was in competition last night in the Eurovision Song Contest — the second semi-final of the 2025 event to be precise. This was held in Switzerland, and the fact that we had a semi-final in itself shows the changes in the competition in recent years.
The halcyon days of a one-night event, with the winner named at the end of a flurry of voting, are long gone. Last night’s semi-final in Basel marked the first time that Irish audiences at home could vote under the Eurovision rules, for instance.
As another indicator of difference, our entry was a Norwegian singer (Emmy Kristiansen) singing about a Russian dog (Laika) sent to space (in 1957).
Politics has raised its head at this event again this year, with more controversy about Israel’s participation due to its ongoing savagery in Gaza.
RTÉ asked the European Broadcasting Union for a discussion about Israel’s inclusion in the contest, while 72 former contestants called for the Israeli broadcaster Kan to be banned from the competition.
Those contestants included former winners Charlie McGettigan of Ireland, Portugal’s Salvador Sobral and Fernando Tordo, British singer Mae Muller, France’s La Zarra, and last year’s competitors Ásdís of Iceland and Gåte of Norway.
We are clearly a long way from Johnny Logan and Dana.
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