Page 13 - Nato

7 killed in Russian missile attack in Ukraine as Zelenskyy visits Sweden

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy travelled to Sweden on Saturday, his first visit to the country since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, while at home a missile strike in the center of a northern city killed seven people and wounded scores of others. The Swedish government said Zelenskyy will meet officials at Harpsund, the prime minister's official summertime residence, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) west of Stockholm. He will also meet Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia at a palace in the area. Sweden abandoned its longstanding policy of military nonalignment to support Ukraine with weapons and other aid in the war against Russia. The government says Sweden has provided 20 billion kronor (1.7 billion euros) in military support to Ukraine, including Archer artillery units, Leopard 2 tanks, CV-90 infantry fighting vehicles, grenade launchers, anti-tank weapons, mine clearing equipment and ammunition. Sweden also applied for NATO membership but is

Zelenskyy visits NATO candidate Sweden for first time since war with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting Sweden on Saturday his first visit to the country since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, the Swedish government said. It said Zelenskyy will meet Swedish government officials in Harpsund, about 120 kilometres west of Stockholm. He will also meet Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia at a palace in the area. Sweden abandoned its longstanding policy of military nonalignment to support Ukraine with weapons and other aid in the war against Russia. It also applied for NATO membership but is still waiting to join the alliance. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited top military officials in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don near the Ukrainian border. The Kremlin said that Putin listened to reports from Valery Gerasimov, the commander in charge of Moscow's operations in Ukraine, and other top military brass at the headquarters of Russia's Southern Military District. The exact timings of his visit

Tensions high on Nato's border with Belarus as Wagner troops move closer

. "Underestimating the activities of Wagner group would be a mistake," Siewiera told Wprost newspaper.

Eyeing country's accession to Nato next year: Ukraine Defence Minister

Talking about the next year's NATO Summit in Washington, Reznikov said, "Who knows, maybe it will be a very important day for Ukraine," adding "It is just my forecast.''

Biden closes out his Europe trip by showcasing new NATO member Finland

Finland joined as NATO's newest member earlier this year, an entry that effectively doubled the alliance's border with Russia

Biden is closing out his Europe trip by showcasing new Nato member Finland

President Joe Biden will close out his five-day trip to Europe on Thursday standing alongside Nordic leaders in an effort to show NATO's expanding power and influence against a burgeoning Russia. The brief stop in the shoreline Finnish capital is the coda to a Biden tour that was carefully sketched to highlight the growth of the military alliance that the president says has fortified itself since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Finland joined as NATO's newest member earlier this year, an entry that effectively doubled the alliance's border with Russia. Biden arrived in Helsinki after what he deemed a successful annual NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, where allies agreed to language that would further pave the way for Ukraine to join the military alliance. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the summit's outcome a significant security victory" for his country but nonetheless expressed disappointment Kyiv did not get an outright invitation to join NATO. Biden and other .

Ukraine wins G7 security pledges but Nato membership remains elusive

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed fresh pledges of weapons and ammunition to fight Russia's invasion along with longer-term security commitments from the West on Wednesday even as he expressed disappointment over the lack of a clear path for his country to join NATO as the alliance wrapped up its annual summit. "The Ukrainian delegation is bringing home a significant security victory for the Ukraine, for our country, for our people, for our children," he said while flanked by U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders from the Group of Seven most powerful democratic nations. A joint declaration issued by the G7 lays the groundwork for each nation to negotiate agreements to help Ukraine bolster its military over the long term. Zelenskyy described the initiative as a bridge toward eventual NATO membership and a deterrent against Russia. "We will not waver," Biden vowed after the summit in Lithuania ended. "I mean that. Our commitment to Ukraine will not weaken. We will

Our unity will not falter, I promise you: Biden at Nato on Ukraine defence

President Joe Biden pledged Wednesday that western allies will not waver in defense of Ukraine, casting the struggle against Russian aggression as one of the world's central challenges. Our unity will not falter," Biden declared. "I promise you. He made the promise at the NATO summit in the capital of Lithuania, a country that he said knows the transformational power of freedom" after spending decades under Moscow's thumb. He drew parallels between Lithuania's struggle to escape Soviet rule and Ukraine's ongoing fight to repel Russia's deadly invasion, highlighting the importance of rallying allies to take on the challenge. America never recognised the Soviet occupation of the Baltic," he said to an outpouring of cheers from a crowd of thousands in a courtyard at Vilnius University draped with American and Lithuanian flags. "Never, never. More spectators gathered in an overflow area, where a big screen was set up. Biden spent two days in Vilnius for the annual NATO summit, where ..

NATO summit results in mixed news for Ukraine, hope for Sweden's entry

US President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts wrapped up a two-day summit Wednesday with pledges of long-term support for Ukraine but no offer of the country's protection under the alliance's security umbrella. Results from the meeting in Lithuania, a nation on NATO's eastern flank that borders Russia, were mixed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskky was grateful for the pledges of more arms and ammunition but disappointed that his country has no clear time frame for joining the world's biggest security alliance. After an evening of pre-summit intrigue, Sweden took a big step toward becoming NATO's 32nd member country when Turkey signaled it would give its approval but not before October. The allies also launched sweeping changes to their defense plans in case of an attack from Russia or by terrorists. They agreed to step up defense spending, too, but set out no timetable for meeting the targets. UKRAINE'S FUTURE IN NATO NATO allies offered more weapons, ammunition and other

Nato prepared to back Ukraine in fight but not to extend membership

NATO leaders prepared to provide Ukraine with more military assistance for fighting Russia but only vague assurances of future membership as the alliance's summit draws to a close on Wednesday. A draft agreement states that Ukraine can join NATO when allies agree and conditions are met." The ambiguous outcome reflects the challenges of reaching consensus among the alliance's current members while the war continues, and it is likely to leave Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy unsatisfied. Although Zelenskyy planned to attend the summit's final day, he has been sharply critical of what he described as NATO's absurd reluctance to set a timeline for his country's acceptance into the alliance. In essence, Western countries are willing to keep sending weapons to help Ukraine do the job that NATO was designed to do hold the line against a Russian invasion but not allow Ukraine to join its ranks and benefit from its security. Zelenskyy said in a Tuesday speech in a town square in .

Turkey's support for Sweden's Nato entry is tied to goals on security

Turkiye made a surprise pledge to drop its opposition to Sweden joining NATO, paving the way for the Nordic country to become a member of the Western military alliance. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg heralded the agreement Monday after talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Stoltenberg said Turkiye had agreed to support Sweden's NATO bid by putting the issue to a vote in Parliament -- in return for deeper cooperation with Sweden on security issues and a pledge from Sweden to revive Turkiye's quest for EU membership. The agreement also says Sweden and Turkiye will step up trade and investment with each other. Hungary, the only other NATO holdout on Sweden, is also expected to drop its opposition. Hungary's foreign minister said Tuesday that his country's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership was now just a technical matter. Erdogan has been uncharacteristically quiet since the agreement was publicized, declining to

Nato summit boosted by deal to advance Sweden's bid to join alliance

NATO's summit will begin Tuesday with fresh momentum after Turkiye withdrew its objections to Sweden joining the alliance, a step toward the unity that Western leaders have been eager to demonstrate in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The decision by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a significant move toward Sweden's membership and it will alleviate tension in Vilnius, Lithuania's capital. This is a historic day, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said late Monday as he announced the agreement following days of intensive meetings. As part of the deal, Erdogan said he would ask Turkiye's parliament to approve Sweden joining NATO. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is expected to take a similar step. The outcome is a victory for US President Joe Biden as well, who has touted NATO's expansion as an example of how Russia's invasion of Ukraine has backfired on Moscow. Finland has already become the 31st member of the alliance, and Sweden is on deck to become th

US President Biden to meet Ukrainian counterpart at Nato summit: Report

The meeting between Biden and Zelenskyy will mark a sign of unity as the Ukrainian President's presence at the summit had been in question

US President Biden welcomes Turkey's agreement to back Sweden's NATO bid

Biden expressed readiness to work with Erdogan and Turkey on enhancing defence and deterrence. He stated that he looked forward to welcoming Sweden as US' 32nd NATO ally

Turkey agrees to send Sweden's Nato accession protocol to Parl: Stoltenberg

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to send Sweden's NATO accession protocol to the Turkish Parliament as soon as possible. Stoltenberg made the announcement after talks with Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on the eve of a NATO summit in Lithuania. Sweden's NATO accession has been held up by objections from Turkiye since last year.

Why Europe can't give weapons to Ukraine quickly even after 1.5 yrs of war

The calculation matters beyond the corporate offices of Europe's defence industry, which collectively generates about €120 billion a year in revenues

Biden kicks-off three-nation visit ahead of Nato summit in Lithuania

The US president will hold a meeting with King Charles of the UK on Monday for the first time since his coronation, according to the White House, to discuss environmental issues

S Korea pushes for action against North's nuclear ambitions at Nato summit

South Korea's president says it's time to clearly demonstrate strong international resolve to deter North Korea's nuclear ambitions, and plans to discuss how to cope with the North's expanding weapons arsenal with NATO leaders this week. Yoon Suk Yeol will attend the annual NATO summit being held this year in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of a two-nation trip that includes a stop in Poland. "Now is the time to clearly demonstrate that the international community's determination to deter North Korea's nuclear weapons program is stronger than North Korea's desire to develop nuclear weapons," he said. It's the second consecutive year that Yoon will take part in the summit, underscoring his push to deepen ties with the world's biggest military alliance. South Korea faces a mix of security challenges, including North Korea's nuclear program and the U.S.-China strategic rivalry. Last year, he became the first South Korean leader to attend a NATO summit when he took

Ukraine's possible entry may be biggest challenge at upcoming Nato meet

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues with no end in sight, NATO's much-celebrated unity faces fresh strains when leaders gather for their annual summit this week in Vilnius, Lithuania. The world's biggest security alliance is struggling to reach an agreement on admitting Sweden as its 32nd member. Military spending by member nations lags behind long-standing goals. An inability to compromise over who should serve as NATO's next leader forced an extension of the current secretary-general's term for an extra year. Perhaps the most difficult questions are over how Ukraine should be eased into NATO. Some maintain admitting Ukraine would fulfil a promise made years ago and be a necessary step to deter Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. Others fear it would be seen as a provocation that could spiral into an even wider conflict. "I don't think it's ready for membership in NATO," President Joe Biden told CNN in an interview airing Sunday. He said joining NATO requires countries t

Solidarity or squabbling: Test of Nato's unity at annual Vilnius summit

The world's biggest security alliance is struggling to reach an agreement on admitting Sweden as its 32nd member