Page 102 - Latest Updates on Ukraine peace talks

US Senate passes $95.3 bn aid package for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan

The Senate early Tuesday passed a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, pushing ahead after months of difficult negotiations and growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad. The vote came after a small group of Republicans opposed to the $60 billion for Ukraine held the Senate floor through the night, using the final hours of debate to argue that the US should focus on its own problems before sending more money overseas. But 22 Republicans voted with nearly all Democrats to pass the package 70-29, with supporters arguing that abandoning Ukraine could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and threaten national security across the globe. With this bill, the Senate declares that American leadership will not waiver, will not falter, will not fail, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who worked closely with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on the legislation. The bill's passage through the Senate with a ..

Elon Musk says Putin can't lose war in Ukraine, opposes senate bill

Musk's comments came as he agreed with Johnson's statement that Putin would not lose in Ukraine. Johnson said those who expect a Ukraine victory were "living in a fantasy world"

Russia warns West: We will be very tough if you 'steal' our assets

Russia has said that if its property is seized then it will seize U.S., European and other assets in responses

Russia, West clash over Ukraine at UNSC meeting ahead of war anniversary

Russia accused the West on Monday of sabotaging agreements that would have prevented the war in Ukraine -- but the US and its allies put the blame squarely on Moscow, saying there is no escaping that President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of its smaller neighbour. Days before the second anniversary of Russia's invasion on February 24, 2022, Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia again put the cause of the war down to the failure to implement the 2015 Minsk agreements, which he blamed on "Kyiv's sabotage" supported by the West. The agreements aimed to resolve the conflict between Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists that flared in April 2014 after Russia's annexation of Crimea and its support for the separatists in the mostly Russian-speaking industrial east called Donbas. At Monday's Security Council meeting that Russia called on the seventh anniversary of the signing of the Minsk peace plan brokered by France and Germany, Nebenzia called claims by Ukraine and Western natio

Ukraine's air defence system destroys 14 of 17 Russia-launched drones

He said that according to preliminary information, there were no casualties, but the facades of some non-residential buildings were damaged

Nato chief warns, says Trump puts safety of US troops, allies at risk

The head of the NATO military alliance warned on Sunday that Donald Trump was putting the safety of US troops and their allies at risk after the Republican presidential frontrunner said Russia should be able to do "whatever the hell they want" to NATO members who don't meet their defence spending targets. "Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement. Speaking on Saturday at a rally in Conway, South Carolina, Trump recalled how as president he told an unidentified NATO member that he would "encourage" Russia to do as it wishes in cases of NATO allies who are "delinquent". "You didn't pay? You're delinquent?" Trump recounted saying. "No I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills." Trump's remarks caused deep ...

'World is watching', say Senators as Republicans oppose to Ukraine aid

As a growing number of Republicans oppose US aid to Ukraine, the Senate's leaders are arguing in strong terms that the money is crucial to pushing back against Russian President Vladimir Putin and maintaining America's global standing. In the Capitol for a rare weekend session, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky issued stark warnings about the consequences of abandoning longtime US allies in Europe. Today it's no exaggeration to say that the eyes of the world are on the United States Senate, McConnell said. Our allies and partners are hoping that the indispensable nation, the leader of the free world, has the resolve to continue. A test vote Sunday on the $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other countries comes as former President Donald Trump, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, is trying to kill the assistance and has escalated his attacks on the NATO military alliance. Trump said Saturday

Russian forces using Musk's Starlink internet in occupied areas: Ukraine

Starlink said on Feb. 8 that its terminals were not active in Russia and that SpaceX had never sold or marketed the service in Russia, nor shipped equipment to locations in Russia

Parl highlights: Lok Sabha adjourned sine die as Budget session concludes

LIVE Updates: From Pakistan election results to Elon Musk's firm Neuralink ditching Delaware to reincorporate in Nevada, catch all the latest news here

Russian drone strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, kills 7

A Russian drone strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, killed at least seven people overnight, including three children, Kharkiv region governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on Saturday. He said the Iranian-made Shahed drone hit civilian infrastructure in the Nemyshlyan district on the city, causing a massive fire that burned down 15 private houses. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said more than 50 people had been evacuated and that emergency workers had contained the blaze by Saturday morning. The Ukrainian air force said air defense systems destroyed 23 out of 31 Iranian Shahed drones launched by Russia overnight. The drones primarily targeted the northeastern Kharkiv region and the southern province of Odesa, the statement said. Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper said four people were injured there by the overnight drone attacks. The attacks came in three waves, he said. The first targeted the regional capital the port city of Odesa. All nine drones were shot down, but

Tucker Carlson interviews Vladimir Putin: 5 key things Russian Prez said

Tucker Clarson interview: Vladimir Putin said that a deal to release the WSJ journalist Evan Gershkovich 'can be reached'

US Senate votes on package of wartime funding for Ukraine, Israel

The Senate on Thursday voted to begin work on a package of wartime funding for Ukraine and other U.S. allies, but doubts remained about support from Republicans who rejected a carefully negotiated compromise that also included border enforcement policies. A vote to begin work on the new package cleared on a 67-32 vote, but the legislation's path remained uncertain. Senate leaders had not agreed to a process to limit the debate time for the bill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the vote a good first step" and pledged that the Senate would keep working on this bill -- until the job is done. The New York Democrat has tried to salvage $60 billion in aid for Ukraine, as well as roughly $35 billion for Israel, other allies and national security priorities, after the collapse this week of a bipartisan agreement to tie border enforcement policies to the package. Republicans are divided about how to proceed, and GOP leaders were still scrambling to find a plan that their senators

Security is fragile at Ukraine's Russian-occupied nuclear power plant: IAEA

Security at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remains fragile amid worrying recent staff cuts enacted by Russian authorities occupying the facility, which is one of the 10 biggest atomic power plants in the world, the United Nations nuclear watchdog chief said Tuesday. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, who is in Kyiv, told The Associated Press that his upcoming visit to the plant as the war approaches its two-year milestone will aim to assess the impact of recent personnel reductions after Russia denied access to employees of Ukraine's Energoatom. This huge facility used to have around 12,000 staff. Now, this has been reduced to between 2,000 and 3,000, which is quite a steep reduction in the number of people working there, Grossi said. To man, to operate these very sophisticated big installations you need a certain number of people performing different specific functions. So far the situation is stable, but it is a very, very delicate equilibrium, he

Putin to visit Turkey in first trip to Nato country since Ukraine War

Putin's trips abroad have been limited due to the risk of possible arrest on a warrant from the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes

What's in $118 bn Senate package that pairs border policies & wartime aid?

Those powers would not restrict the entry of US citizens or others with a legal basis to enter the country

Search engine Yandex owner to exit Russia in $5.2 bn deal: Report

Yandex has always sought to portray itself as free from Kremlin influence, a task that has become more challenging as the company has become such a strategic national asset

Russia's energy elite, Indian govt officials try to keep oil flowing

Oil imports from Russia, negligible before Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, climbed steadily through 2022 and the first half of last year as India saw an opportunity to procure discounted barrels

Senators release $118 bn package pairing border policies with wartime aid

Senators on Sunday released a highly anticipated USD 118 billion package that pairs border enforcement policy with wartime aid for Ukraine, Israel and other US allies, setting off a long-shot effort to push the bill through heavy skepticism from Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson. The proposal is the best chance for President Joe Biden to resupply Ukraine with wartime aid a major foreign policy goal that is shared with both the Senate's top Democrat, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and top Republican, Sen. Mitch McConnell. The Senate was expected this week to hold a key test vote on the legislation, but it faces a wall of opposition from conservatives. With Congress stalled on approving USD 60 billion in Ukraine aid, the US has halted shipments of ammunition and missiles to Kyiv, leaving Ukrainian soldiers outgunned as they try to beat back Russia's invasion. The new bill would also invest in US defense manufacturing, send USD 14 billion in military aid to Israel, steer nearly U

At least 28 dead after bakery attacked in Russian-occupied Ukraine: Report

Moscow-installed officials say Ukrainian shelling killed at least 28 people at a bakery in the Russian-occupied city of Lysychansk. At least one child was among the dead Saturday, local leader Leonid Pasechnik wrote in a statement on Telegram. A further 10 people were rescued from under the rubble by emergency services, he said. Ukrainian officials in Kyiv did not comment on the incident. Both Moscow and Kyiv have increasingly relied on longer-range attacks this winter amid largely unchanged positions on the 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) front line in the nearly 2-year-old war. The military administration for Ukraine's Sumy region said Sunday that Russian forces had shelled the region in 16 separate attacks the previous day, firing on the border communities of Yunakivka, Bilopillia, Krasnopillia, Velyka Pysarivka, and Esman.

Top UN court decides to proceed with Ukraine case over Russia's invasion

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced on Friday (local time) its decision to proceed with the case initiated by Ukraine concerning Russia's justification for its invasion in Feb 2022