Page 74 - Ukraine

Ukraine uses US-provided long-range ATACMS missiles against Russian forces

The United States has quietly delivered a small number of long-range ballistic missiles that Ukraine said it urgently needed and that President Joe Biden promised last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Tuesday, saying they were used on the battlefield against Russia and executed very accurately. Today I express special gratitude to the United States," Zelenskyy said in his evening address, adding that the missiles have proven themselves. The US has refused to discuss the delivery publicly, but officials familiar with the move also confirmed it earlier in the day. Fewer than a dozen of the missiles got into Ukraine within the last few days, said officials. Their arrival at the warfront gives Ukraine a critical ability to strike Russian targets that are farther away, allowing Ukrainian forces to stay safely out of range. The officials were not authorised to publicly discuss the matter before an official announcement and spoke Tuesday on the condition of ...

The puzzles of defence economics

Rethinking military production in a new world of conflict

The lucky cohort

Unlike those born in the 1940s and '50s, the current generation can no longer take global peace and lifelong economic progress for granted

Ukraine receives $1.15 billion grant from US under World Bank program

The PEACE (Public Expenditures for Administrative Capacity Endurance) in Ukraine project has been the World Bank's flagship financing instrument for Kyiv during Russia's war on Ukraine

US wants to cut Ukraine aid, boost Taiwan's. But it is tied to Kyiv's

To Rep. Mike Collins, China is a bigger threat to the United States than Russia. So the Georgia Republican has voted against providing military aid to Ukraine as he advocates for doing more to arm Taiwan, the self-governed island that's at risk of military aggression from Beijing. For Collins and other Republican lawmakers, Taiwan and Ukraine are effectively rivals for a limited pool of U.S. military assistance. But that's not necessarily how Taiwan and many of its supporters see it. They view Taiwan's fate as closely linked to that of Ukraine as it struggles to push back a Russian invasion. They say China is watching closely to see if the United States has the political stamina to support an ally in a prolonged, costly war. The U.S. aid to Ukraine also has led to weapons manufacturers stepping up production something that could benefit Taiwan in a clash with China. Ukraine's survival is Taiwan's survival. Ukraine's success is Taiwan's success, Taiwan's diplomat in the U.S., Hsiao

EU summit to look at changes bloc needs to make to welcome Ukraine, others

A day after pledging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy their unwavering support, European Union leaders on Friday will face one of their worst political headaches on a key commitment - how and when to welcome debt-laden and battered Ukraine into the bloc. The 27-nation EU has said since the start of Russia's invasion in February 2022 that at the end of the war it would work steadfastly on lasting unity that would eventually translate into Ukraine's membership in the wealthy bloc. For a nation fighting for its very survival, that moment cannot come quickly enough. For the bloc itself, that remains to be seen. On Friday, the leaders will assess enlargement as they call it at their informal summit in southern Spain's Granada. Beyond Ukraine, several western Balkan nations and Moldova are also knocking with increasing impatience at the door. In his summit invitation letter, EU Council President Charles Michel asked the leaders critical questions, such as: What do we do together?

Russia launches more drone attacks as Zelenksyy travels to a European forum

Russia targeted Ukraine with drones in another massive attack early Thursday as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Spain to rally support from Western allies at a summit of some 50 European leaders. Ukraine's air force said that the country's air defences intercepted 24 out of 29 Iranian-made drones that Russia launched at the southern Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kirovohrad regions. Ukrainian officials didn't immediately report any casualties of damage. The attack came as Zelenskyy arrived in Granada in southern Spain to attend a summit of the European Political Community, which was formed in the wake of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The key for us, especially before winter, is to strengthen air defense, and there is already a basis for new agreements with partners, he said in a statement posted on his Telegram channel. During the last winter, Russia targeted Ukraine's energy system and other vital infrastructure in a steady barrage of missile and drone attacks, ...

Ramaswamy slams Zelenskyy as he seeks more US funds to hold Ukraine polls

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for seeking additional funds from the US to hold polls in the war-torn country and asserted that he is on his way to becoming the party's nominee for the 2024 presidential elections. In an interview with Fox News, Ramaswamy, 38, defended his statement that he would cut aid to Ukraine if elected as the US president. I have a problem with appeasement too, but I want to be very clear. We have to level with the American people here. Just because Putin is an evil dictator -- and he is -- does not mean that Ukraine is good, he said. This (Ukraine) is a country that has banned 11 opposition parties. This is a country that has consolidated all media into one state media arm, whose president just last week was praising a Nazi in his own ranks, has threatened the United States not to hold its own normal elections this year unless it gets more funding, Ramaswamy said. Now polling third and ..

IMF expects continuing US support for Ukraine despite Congress dropping aid

Officials from the International Monetary Fund say they expect the United States will continue playing its key role in amassing multinational support that has helped keep Ukraine's economy afloat during Russia's invasion. That's despite Congress recently passing a short-term funding package that averted a US government shutdown but dropped USD 6 billion in aid to Ukraine. It's not clear if, when, or how that aid instalment might be restored. The US has already sent or committed USD 69.5 billion in military, financial, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, according to the Institute for the World Economy in Kiel, Germany. President Biden has made an announcement ... that he is fully committed to supporting Ukraine," Uma Ramakrishnan, IMF European department deputy director, said at a news conference Wednesday in Kyiv. And so from our standpoint, the baseline assumption remains that the US remains committed." She added that it is premature for us to comment on what will materialize or no

Biden suggests he has path around Congress to get more aid to Ukraine

Facing a likely roadblock from House Republicans on aid for Ukraine, President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he's planning to give a major speech on the issue and suggested there may be another means to provide support for Kyiv if Congress continues to balk. I'm going to be announcing very shortly a major speech I'm going to make on this issue and why it's critically important for the United States and our allies that we keep our commitment to Ukraine, Biden told reporters after giving unrelated remarks at the White House. White House officials declined to say when Biden planned to give his speech. The president did not elaborate on the alternate method he was looking at to get additional military aid to Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. There is another means by which we may be able to find funding, but I'm not going to get into that right now, he said. Aid for Ukraine has been a source of tension and uncertainty as several Republicans in the House have severe doubts or openly

'They're just meat': Russia deploys punishment battalions in echo of Stalin

They're among hundreds of military and civilian offenders who've been pressed into Russian penal units

Our support for Ukraine permanent: European Union Chief Borell in Kyiv

The foreign ministers of the European Union arrived in Kyiv on Monday for the first meeting of the 27 member states ever held outside the EU

Pentagon warns Congress, says it is running low on money to replace weapons

The Pentagon is warning Congress that it is running low on money to replace weapons the US has sent to Ukraine and has already been forced to slow down resupplying some troops, according to a letter sent to congressional leaders. The letter urges Congress to replenish funding for Ukraine. Congress averted a government shutdown by passing a short-term funding bill over the weekend, but the measure dropped all assistance for Ukraine in the battle against Russia. Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCord told House and Senate leaders there is USD 1.6 billion left of the USD 25.9 billion Congress provided to replenish US military stocks that have been flowing to Ukraine. The weapons include millions of rounds of artillery, rockets, and missiles critical to Ukraine's counteroffensive aimed at taking back territory gained by Russia in the war. In addition, the US has about USD 5.4 billion left to provide weapons and equipment from its stockpiles. The US would have already run out of that fund

Ukraine confident of broad support as EU ministers convene in Kyiv

Monday's meeting in Kyiv was touted by Borrell as an historic first but it comes at an awkward time for the Western alliance that has supported Kyiv

Running low on money to replace weapons sent to Ukraine, warns Pentagon

The Pentagon is warning Congress that it is running low on money to replace weapons the US has sent to Ukraine and has already been forced to slow down resupplying some troops, according to a letter sent to congressional leaders. The letter, obtained by The Associated Press, urges Congress to replenish funding for Ukraine. Congress averted a government shutdown by passing a short-term funding bill over the weekend, but the measure dropped all assistance for Ukraine in the battle against Russia. Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCord told House and Senate leaders there is $1.6 billion left of the $25.9 billion Congress provided to replenish US military stocks that have been flowing to Ukraine. The weapons include millions of rounds of artillery, rockets and missiles critical to Ukraine's counteroffensive aimed at taking back territory gained by Russia in the war. In addition, the US has about $5.4 billion left to provide weapons and equipment from its stockpiles. The US would have alrea

US will not walk away from Ukraine: Biden after spending bill avoids aid

This comes after the spending bill didn't include new aid for Ukraine. Biden also called on the Republicans to keep their word about support for Ukraine

Russia shoots down 6 Ukrainian drones and 2 missiles, says report

Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-backed head of Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, said there were no casualties. 5 cargo ships head for Ukraine's Black Sea ports

Ukraine aid left out of funding package, raises questions about US support

Congressional supporters of Ukraine say they won't give up after a bill to keep the federal government open excluded President Joe Biden's request to provide more security assistance to the war-torn nation. Still, many lawmakers acknowledge that winning approval for Ukraine assistance in Congress is growing more difficult as the war between Russia and Ukraine grinds on. Republican resistance to the aid has been gaining momentum in the halls of Congress. Voting in the House this past week pointed to the potential trouble ahead. Nearly half of House Republicans voted to strip USD 300 million from a defence spending bill to train Ukrainian soldiers and purchase weapons. The money later was approved separately, but opponents of Ukraine support celebrated their growing numbers. Then, on Saturday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy omitted additional Ukraine aid from a measure to keep the government running until Nov. 17. In doing so, he closed the door on a Senate package that would have ...

Ukraine hosts defence industry forum to ramp up weapons production for war

Ukraine hosted an international defence industry conference as part of a government effort to ramp up weapons production within the country to repel Russia's full-scale invasion and reduce foreign dependence on arms deliveries. The event marked a new development in support of Ukraine, with the previous focus being on the delivery of weapons, repair of damaged equipment and military training of Ukrainian soldiers. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking at the opening of the International Defence Industries Forum, said that around 250 defense companies from more than 30 countries had gathered Friday in Kyiv. Defence ministers and representatives of several countries also attended the event. Heroism alone cannot intercept missiles. Ukraine needs capabilities, high quality, high quantity, and quickly. There is no defence without industry, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who spoke by video link during the forum on the day after his visit to Kyiv. Stoltenberg said that Wen

War in Ukraine pushes India to obtain more self-propelled guns to arsenal

The South Asian country wants to obtain another 400 of these guns, which would make the equipment about a sixth of all artillery pieces in the Indian armory