Under the initiative, each government will contribute £1 million to establish the fund, which will provide financial support to new and existing projects designed to encourage dialogue, reconciliation and cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians.

According to details released by the British government, the fund will prioritize programs involving youth groups, civil society organizations and women’s initiatives, reflecting a focus on community-level engagement rather than formal diplomatic negotiations.

The governments said the mechanism is intended to complement broader international efforts to advance a negotiated resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and strengthen constituencies that support peaceful coexistence.

Officials indicated the fund is expected to expand beyond its initial capitalization by attracting additional international donors once operations are underway.
The announcement was made ahead of a meeting in Britain involving UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, where discussions were expected to include developments in the Middle East and support for a two-state framework.

The initiative comes as international actors continue to explore diplomatic and civil-society-based approaches to reducing tensions and fostering dialogue between Israeli and Palestinian communities amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza and broader regional uncertainty.

While relatively modest in financial terms, the fund represents a coordinated effort by three Western allies to support locally driven peacebuilding projects that seek to build trust, strengthen civic engagement and create channels for long-term cooperation between communities affected by decades of conflict.

The participating governments said the program would focus on practical, grassroots initiatives capable of generating sustained engagement and laying foundations for future peace efforts.

Speaking during a meeting with a delegation from the Culture and Freedom Foundation led by former justice minister Ibrahim Najjar, Aoun dismissed calls for Lebanon to abandon the negotiations and said the government would continue pursuing talks until a settlement serving Lebanon’s national interests is achieved.

“We will not withdraw and we will continue until we reach a conclusion that benefits our nation,” Aoun said, according to remarks released by the presidency.

The Lebanese leader emphasized the role of state institutions in preserving sovereignty and stability, arguing that national authority remains the foundation for addressing the country’s security and political challenges.

Aoun’s comments come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilize the Israel-Lebanon frontier following months of conflict that have displaced large numbers of civilians and caused extensive damage in southern Lebanon.

Earlier, in a televised interview, Aoun made a rare direct appeal to Israel to pursue a negotiated settlement, arguing that military action alone could not guarantee long-term security.

He said Lebanon’s approach remains aligned with the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, under which Arab states offered normalization of relations with Israel in exchange for the establishment of a Palestinian state and Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories.

Aoun stressed, however, that progress toward broader normalization would require a gradual process and confidence-building measures rather than immediate political breakthroughs.

Lebanon and Israel agreed last week to a new ceasefire arrangement backed by the United States, but tensions have persisted amid reports of continued violence and disagreements over implementation.

The conflict escalated on March 2 when Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel in support of Iran. Israel responded with an extensive air campaign and ground operations that resulted in the occupation of areas in southern Lebanon.

According to figures cited by Lebanese officials, more than 3,600 people have been killed in Israeli military operations in Lebanon, while over one million residents have been displaced by the fighting.

Aoun’s remarks underscore Lebanon’s effort to balance diplomatic engagement with demands for concrete security and territorial guarantees, as international mediators seek to prevent a broader regional escalation.

Community-led peace initiatives are emerging as a potential tool in Nigeria’s struggle against bandit violence, with some local leaders reporting improvements in security after negotiating directly with armed groups that have terrorized large areas of the country’s northwest.

One of the most prominent examples comes from Kurfi, a local government area in Katsina State, where a peace agreement brokered by community figures has brought what residents describe as a period of relative stability following years of attacks, kidnappings and displacement.

Dayyabu Abba-Kurfi, a civil servant and local politician, played a central role in negotiating the agreement in August 2025 between residents and bandit groups operating in the area. Abba-Kurfi, known locally by the nickname “Doncaster,” earned during his school football days in the 1980s, said the arrangement has allowed many residents to begin rebuilding lives disrupted by years of insecurity.

The initiative reflects growing frustration among communities that have endured repeated violence despite extensive security operations by Nigerian authorities. While federal and state governments continue military campaigns against armed groups, some local leaders argue that dialogue and community engagement can complement conventional security responses.

Banditry has become one of Nigeria’s most serious security challenges over the past decade. Criminal groups operating primarily in northwestern states have carried out kidnappings, extortion, cattle rustling and attacks on rural communities. Many groups operate on motorcycles and maintain bases in remote forest areas that are difficult for security forces to access.

Researchers trace the origins of the crisis to a combination of social, economic and environmental pressures. Rapid population growth, competition over land and the effects of climate change have intensified tensions between farming and pastoral communities across northern Nigeria.

Historically, nomadic herders relied on established grazing routes that allowed livestock to move across large areas of the region. However, expanding agricultural activity and population growth have reduced access to these traditional pathways, contributing to disputes over land and resources.

According to Malik Samuel, a senior researcher at the Abuja-based policy organization Good Governance Africa, many members of nomadic Fulani communities have long felt politically and economically marginalized.

He said disputes between farmers and herders often reinforce perceptions that pastoral groups receive less support from authorities during conflicts.Samuel noted that while such grievances may be legitimate, some individuals have exploited them to justify or facilitate criminal activity. Over time, local vigilante structures and self-defense groups evolved in some areas into organized criminal networks involved in kidnapping, illegal mining and other illicit enterprises.

The scale of the problem has grown significantly in recent years. According to data compiled by SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based risk analysis firm, approximately 15,000 kidnapping incidents were recorded across Nigeria between 2019 and 2025. A large proportion occurred in the northwest, where insecurity has become deeply entrenched.

Separate research by the firm estimated that kidnappers received approximately 2.57 billion naira, equivalent to about £1.4 million, in ransom payments between July 2024 and June 2025. The figures underscore the extent to which kidnapping has become a lucrative criminal enterprise.Katsina State remains among the regions most heavily affected.

Eleven of its 34 local government areas have experienced repeated attacks by bandit groups, resulting in widespread displacement and economic disruption.Many rural residents abandoned villages and farms to seek safety in urban centers, where living expenses were often significantly higher.

Agricultural production suffered as fields were left unattended and livestock movements disrupted. Residents reported that bandits frequently allowed cattle to graze on cultivated farmland, destroying crops and reducing harvests.The psychological impact of the violence has been equally severe. Across affected communities, families developed survival routines designed to minimize risk during nighttime raids.

Many households ate meals early in the evening before leaving their homes to seek refuge in forests or isolated locations.Residents described scenarios in which parents separated while fleeing attacks, with fathers taking some children in one direction and mothers taking others in another attempt to improve the family’s chances of survival.

In the confusion, children were occasionally left behind or became lost while escaping.Accounts from affected communities highlight the human cost of prolonged insecurity. In one incident recalled by residents in Kurfi, a family that remained at home during an attack experienced severe violence. According to local accounts, armed men assaulted the mother while the father hid inside the house fearing for his life.

Such experiences have contributed to growing support for alternative approaches aimed at reducing violence. Community leaders involved in peace efforts argue that their familiarity with local dynamics allows them to communicate with armed groups in ways that external actors often cannot.Supporters of local mediation contend that trusted intermediaries possess knowledge of community relationships, historical grievances and social networks that can facilitate dialogue.

They argue that these connections can help create opportunities for de-escalation in areas where military operations alone have struggled to establish lasting stability.Critics, however, have previously questioned whether negotiations with criminal groups risk legitimizing armed actors or providing temporary rather than permanent solutions. Security analysts note that peace agreements can be fragile and may collapse if underlying economic and social conditions remain unresolved.

Despite those concerns, the relative calm reported in communities such as Kurfi has attracted attention from policymakers and residents seeking practical responses to a crisis that has displaced thousands of people and disrupted economic activity across northern Nigeria.For many residents, the immediate priority is not broader political debate but restoring daily life.

In communities emerging from years of fear, the ability to return to farms, reopen businesses and sleep in their own homes represents a significant measure of progress.Whether locally negotiated peace arrangements can be replicated across other parts of northwestern Nigeria remains uncertain.

However, their emergence reflects a growing recognition that resolving the country’s bandit crisis may require a combination of security operations, community engagement and efforts to address the deeper social and economic factors that have fueled violence for years.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian newspaper Izvestia that the letter had been delivered to Putin overnight after first appearing in the media.

“Yes, overnight we already handed over the written version. What came from the media was passed on to the president, and he has reviewed it. The president has been briefed,” Peskov said.

Zelensky published the open letter on Thursday, calling for direct talks with Putin aimed at reaching an agreement to end the conflict. He said Ukraine remained prepared to continue fighting if no diplomatic breakthrough could be achieved.

The Ukrainian leader also sought to increase pressure on the Kremlin by arguing that Russians were growing weary of both the war and Putin’s leadership.

Peskov indicated that Putin could address the letter publicly later on Friday during a plenary session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, one of Russia’s flagship annual economic gatherings.

The Kremlin has not yet provided a formal response to Zelensky’s proposal or indicated whether Putin would consider a direct meeting with the Ukrainian president.

The exchange comes as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain stalled and fighting continues more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to India, Rubio said the latest attacks underscored the urgency of finding a path toward ending the conflict, following a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“Every time you see these big strikes from one side or the other, it’s a reminder of why this is a terrible war,” Rubio said, adding that Washington remained willing to assist diplomatic efforts whenever an opportunity for progress emerged.

His remarks came after Russia launched a major attack on Kyiv and days after Moscow fired large numbers of drones and missiles at targets across Ukraine, attacks that Ukrainian authorities said killed at least four people over the weekend.

The renewed bombardment reflected a continuing escalation in hostilities as both sides intensify military operations more than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia said on Monday it was prepared to carry out additional strikes against Kyiv, including what it described as the Ukrainian government’s “decision-making centers,” signaling that further attacks on the capital could follow.

The phone call between Rubio and Lavrov highlighted the limited but ongoing diplomatic contacts between the two countries. According to Russia’s foreign ministry, Lavrov urged the United States to remove diplomatic personnel from its embassy in Kyiv amid security concerns.

Rubio said Moscow had not singled out the United States and had instead issued a broader warning to foreign diplomatic missions operating in the Ukrainian capital.

“It was a notice sent to all the embassies,” Rubio told reporters.

The comments suggest Washington continues to balance support for Ukraine with efforts to preserve diplomatic communication with Moscow, even as prospects for a negotiated settlement remain uncertain and battlefield conditions continue to deteriorate.

The latest exchange between the two senior diplomats comes as the United States seeks to maintain engagement with both Kyiv and Moscow while monitoring the security risks posed by intensified Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s major cities.

In a statement, Hezbollah said its leader, Naim Qassem, received a message from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stressing that Tehran would continue backing what it described as movements seeking “justice and freedom,” with Hezbollah identified as a principal ally.

The group said the communication reflected Iran’s determination to maintain political and strategic support for Hezbollah despite ongoing regional tensions and efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict between Washington and Tehran.

According to Hezbollah, Iran’s most recent proposal, reportedly conveyed through Pakistani mediators, seeks to secure a “permanent and stable” conclusion to the war and specifically calls for Lebanon to be included in any ceasefire framework.

The statement did not provide additional details on the contents of the proposal or indicate whether the United States, Israel, or other parties involved in regional diplomacy had responded to the initiative.
Hezbollah has long been one of Iran’s closest regional allies, receiving political, financial and military support from Tehran.

The group plays a significant role in Lebanon’s political landscape while also maintaining an armed wing that has been involved in conflicts across the region.

The remarks come amid intensified diplomatic efforts aimed at containing wider regional instability and preventing hostilities from expanding across multiple fronts in the Middle East.

The visit comes as Islamabad has taken on an increasingly active diplomatic role since the outbreak of hostilities in late February following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Pakistan has maintained contacts with both Tehran and Washington in an effort to prevent broader regional escalation and support negotiations toward a lasting ceasefire.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA, citing a diplomatic source in Islamabad, reported earlier that Munir had departed for Tehran and was expected to hold meetings with senior Iranian officials. A Pakistani security source separately confirmed the army chief’s visit to Arab News on condition of anonymity.

Munir is expected to be joined by Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who has already held meetings with Iranian leaders twice this week as part of Islamabad’s diplomatic outreach.

Separately, a Qatari negotiating delegation arrived in Tehran on Friday in coordination with the United States to help secure an agreement aimed at ending the conflict and resolving outstanding disputes, according to a source familiar with the discussions cited by Reuters.

Qatar has played a prominent mediation role in several regional conflicts, including negotiations related to the Gaza war. However, Doha had largely avoided direct involvement in efforts surrounding the Iran conflict after coming under Iranian missile and drone attacks during the recent hostilities.

The renewed diplomatic activity follows comments by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said on Friday that talks with Iran had shown “slight progress,” while cautioning against overstating the advances made so far.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Rubio said there had been “a little bit of movement” in negotiations and described continued dialogue as a positive development. His remarks came days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had delayed a military strike against Iran because “serious negotiations” were underway.

Trump has repeatedly warned that the ceasefire established in mid-April could collapse if negotiations fail to produce an agreement, while discussions have continued amid shifting expectations over the terms of a potential deal.

NATO foreign ministers are also expected to discuss possible alliance involvement in helping secure maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz after the conflict, underscoring the broader strategic implications of any settlement reached between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking to reporters via Zoom, Sybiha said discussions conducted under the current format were increasingly yielding diminishing returns, with negotiators repeatedly revisiting the same issues without achieving significant breakthroughs.

“My impression is that this format is gradually reaching the point where discussions possible at this level are becoming exhausted,” Sybiha said. “At times, the same issues end up being discussed several times over.”
His remarks underscore mounting concerns in Kyiv over the pace and effectiveness of diplomatic engagement despite months of US-backed efforts to facilitate dialogue between the two sides.

Sybiha said broader European participation could inject fresh momentum into the negotiations and help overcome obstacles that have stalled progress. He described increased European engagement as one of the key avenues for reinvigorating the peace process.

The foreign minister also reiterated Ukraine’s preference for negotiations at the highest political level, saying a direct meeting involving national leaders remains another potential path forward.

Kyiv has repeatedly advocated leader-level talks as a means of breaking deadlocks that have persisted in lower-level discussions.

The comments come as diplomatic efforts to end Europe’s largest conflict in decades continue to face significant challenges, with both sides maintaining divergent positions on core security and territorial issues.

While the United States has played a central role in facilitating contacts between Kyiv and Moscow, Sybiha’s remarks suggest Ukrainian officials increasingly believe a broader diplomatic framework may be required to generate meaningful progress.

Berri, Lebanon’s most senior Shiite political figure and an ally of Hezbollah, said the priority must be halting hostilities before any political process begins, rejecting talks without guarantees that Israel would cease its attacks, according to comments published by An-Nahar newspaper.

His remarks came as Israeli forces issued new evacuation warnings to residents of four villages beyond a self-declared security zone, accusing Hezbollah of violating a ceasefire agreed in mid-April and extended into May.

The conflict escalated after Israel launched operations in Lebanon in March targeting Hezbollah, which had been firing across the border in support of Iran following attacks by Israel and the United States on Tehran.

Despite the ceasefire, hostilities have continued at a lower intensity, with Israel maintaining a presence in parts of southern Lebanon and conducting strikes, while Hezbollah has carried out attacks on Israeli forces. The group said it conducted 11 operations on Sunday.

Lebanon’s government has called for a lasting arrangement that would end recurring cycles of violence, though it has stopped short of seeking a formal peace agreement. Israel has said any deal must include the disarmament of Hezbollah.

Donald Trump, who hosted delegations from both sides for talks last month, said there was a strong possibility of reaching a peace agreement this year and expressed interest in facilitating further discussions involving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Hezbollah and Berri have opposed direct negotiations, while Aoun has supported lower-level talks aimed first at consolidating a ceasefire before addressing broader issues, including Israeli withdrawal, the return of displaced civilians and detainee exchanges.

Lebanon’s health ministry says more than 2,600 people have been killed since early March. Israel says 17 of its soldiers and two civilians have died in the cross-border fighting.

“We asked the Turks about it, we asked some other capitals,” Sybiha told reporters on Tuesday in comments cleared for release on Wednesday, indicating that Ukraine is seeking a neutral venue outside Russia and its close ally Belarus.

Sybiha said Kyiv would consider any location except Belarus or Russia for such a meeting, underscoring longstanding Ukrainian objections to holding talks in countries aligned with Moscow.

Belarus facilitated Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 by allowing its territory to be used as a staging ground, a factor that has made it unacceptable to Kyiv as a diplomatic venue.

The Ukrainian leadership has repeatedly called for direct talks between Zelensky and Putin as a potential means to accelerate efforts toward a resolution of the conflict.

However, the Kremlin has previously stated that it is willing to host Zelensky in Moscow, a proposal the Ukrainian president has rejected.

Sybiha did not disclose Ankara’s response to the request but emphasized that Ukraine remains open to alternatives. “If another capital, besides Moscow and Belarus, organizes such a meeting, we will go,” he said.

Turkiye has previously positioned itself as a mediator in the conflict, maintaining diplomatic ties with both Kyiv and Moscow while hosting earlier rounds of negotiations.

Separately, Sybiha said he had exchanged written messages with Anita Orban, who is set to become Hungary’s foreign minister following the recent election victory of a new government in Budapest.