Page 81 - Ukraine

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

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

Ukraine, environment to top agenda when Biden meets UK politicians, royalty

A dash of pomp and a dose of politics are on the agenda during a stopover visit to the UK where President Joe Biden will discuss the environment with King Charles III and the war in Ukraine with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Biden flies to London on Sunday on his way to a NATO summit in Lithuania. He is scheduled to hold talks with Sunak at 10 Downing St on Monday before heading to Windsor Castle to meet Charles for the first time since the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September. Though this is not a full state visit with military honours and palace banquet, the royal imprimatur and backdrop of the 1,000-year-old castle help underscore the importance of the trans-Atlantic special relationship - tested by Brexit but reinforced by unity over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Sunak and the president will hold Ukraine-focused talks before both attend this week's NATO meeting in Vilnius, which will discuss how far the military alliance should open the door to Ukraine. NATO leaders said in

UN to keep pushing for extension of food exports from Russia, Ukraine

Top UN officials have vowed to keep working for an extension of the deal that allows food and fertilizer exports from Russia and Ukraine despite their war, pushing back at Moscow's pessimism about a renewal before the July 17 expiration. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both countries to make global food security a priority and "help ensure that these products can reach global markets smoothly, efficiently and at scale", UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said on Friday. "Together, the agreements are contributing to sustained reductions in global food prices, which are now more than 23 per cent below the record highs reached in March last year." Turkey and the UN brokered a breakthrough accord with the warring sides last July, which has enabled Ukraine to ship over 32 million tonnes of grain from Black Sea ports to global markets. Moscow, however, complains that the separate UN-Russia memorandum on facilitating shipments of Russian food and fertiliser still faces serious ...

EU approve plans to boost anemic ammunition production to help Ukraine

The European Union took a major step early on day in approving plans to boost its anemic production of ammunition and missiles within the 27-nation bloc, to both defend itself and quickly help Ukraine in trying to push back the invasion by Russia. The EU presidency announced early on day that the member states and the EU Parliament reached a deal to urgently mobilise" half a billion euros from its budget for an Act in Support of Ammunition Production. The deal follows up the decision by EU leaders in March to boost urgently needed ammunition deliveries to Ukraine, which were then sought to start a counteroffensive against Russian forces. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has steadfastly asked for more military aid, from ammunition to planes and missiles. ASAP was part of the plan to send Ukraine 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition within the next 12 months. The EU had already approved plan for a fast-track purchasing procedures when it approved funds Friday to ramp up ...

Romania aims to open F-16 pilot training facility for allies, Ukraine

Romania's top defence body has said in a meeting that the country aims to open a regional training hub for F-16 fighter jet pilots from fellow NATO countries and other partners, including Ukraine. The office of President Klaus Iohannis, who chaired the Supreme Council of National Defense meeting in Bucharest on Thursday, said in a statement, "Together with other allies and the company that designs this fighter plane, a regional hub will be created in Romania for the training of pilots." "Romanian pilots who operate F-16 aircraft will be trained here, and the facility will later be opened to the participation of pilots from allied and NATO partner states, including Ukraine," the statement read. Romania, which shares a long border with Ukraine and has been a NATO member since 2004 and a European Union member since 2007, bolstered defence spending in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The training facility will aim to position Romania as "a regional leader in the field of F-16

Russia's missile attack on Ukraine city of Lviv kills 6, injures dozens

Russia fired cruise missiles at a western Ukraine city far from the front line of the war, killing at least six people in an apartment building in what officials said was the heaviest attack on civilian areas of Lviv since the Kremlin's forces invaded the country last year. Emergency crews with search dogs went through the rubble of the building after the nighttime attack on Thursday destroyed the roof and the top two floors. At least 36 people were injured, according to authorities. The youngest of the people who died was 21 years old and the oldest was a woman of 95, Lviv province governor Maksym Kozytskyi said. "This woman survived the Second World War, but unfortunately she didn't survive" Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kozytskyi said. Debris and wrecked parked cars lined the street outside the building, which overlooks a small neighbourhood park with swings and other playground equipment. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said the body of a woman was pulled from the rubble l

India can contribute in ending war in Ukraine: US ambassador to Kyiv

India, with its rising global profile and current presidency of the G20, can contribute significantly in ending the war in Ukraine, US Ambassador to Kyiv Bridget A Brink said on Wednesday. At a special online briefing for a small group of Indian reporters, Brink said India's leadership is critical in addressing various global challenges and New Delhi's increasing concern over the adverse impact of the war on the Global South creates the ground for its role in defusing the crisis. She said the United States hopes to work with its partners and allies around the world, including India, to support freedom and democracies, and the ability of countries to choose their own future. "From Kyiv, every day I see both the devastating effects of the war and the strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people," Brink said. The ambassador said India's aspirations for global leadership and its calls for collective action through its G20 theme of "One Earth, One Family, One Future" reflect the spir

Russia launches first drone strike on Ukraine's capital Kyiv in 12 days

After a relative lull, Russia launched a drone attack early Sunday on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, officials said. It was the first such attack of the war in 12 days. All of the Iranian-made Shahed exploding drones were detected and shot down, according to Serhii Popko, the head of the Kyiv city administration. In addition to the city itself, the surrounding Kyiv region was targeted. Kyiv regional Gov. Ruslan Kravchenko reported that one person was wounded by falling debris from a destroyed drone. Officials in the Ukrainian capital didn't provide an exact number of drones that attacked the city. But Ukraine's air force said that across the country, eight Shaheds and three Kalibr cruise missiles were launched by the Russians. Further south, a 13-year-old boy was wounded in overnight shelling of Ukraine's partially occupied southern Kherson province, said Oleksandr Tolokonnikov, spokesman for the Ukrainian administration of the province. The child was wounded when the Russian army shel

3 killed, 17 wounded by Russian shelling in Ukraine, Spain PM visits Kyiv

Ukrainian officials reported more civilian casualties from Russian shelling in the country's east and south on Saturday, as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Snchez began a visit to Kyiv as a show of continuing support from Madrid and the European Union for Ukraine's fight to dislodge invading Russian forces. In an address to Ukraine's parliament that received several standing ovations, Snchez said, We'll be with you as long as it takes. I am here to express the firm determination of the European (Union) and Europe against the illegal and unjustified Russian aggression to Ukraine, he said on the day that Spain took over the six-month rotating presidency of the 27-nation EU. At a later news conference with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sanchez announced Spain would deliver more heavy weaponry to Ukraine including four Leopard tanks and armoured personnel carriers, as well as a portable field hospital. He also said Spain will provide an additional 55 million euros to help with ...

Ukraine to receive $1.5 bn from World Bank to support reconstruction

Ukraine is rebuilding schools, hospitals, roads and bridges and implementing repairs in the energy sector despite continued fighting in the south and east of the country

Ukraine holds drill at Zaporizhzhia plant to prepare for radiation leaks

Dressed in white and yellow protective suits and armed with devices to detect radiation levels, Ukrainian emergency workers took part in a drill on Thursday to prepare for a potential risk of radiation leakage from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Dozens of civilians joined the drill on the outskirts of the city of Zaporizhzhia, located around 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the nuclear power plant, Europe's largest. In a tent set up to provide first aid, emergency workers practised hosing people down with soap and going through the motions of administering treatment to individuals who play-acted victims from possible radiation-affected areas. Russia occupied the plant in the early stages of the war. Over the past year, it has become a focal point of concern as Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of shelling the plant. Ukraine's military intelligence recently claimed, without providing evidence, that Russia is planning a large-scale provocation at the nuclear

Mike Pence makes a surprise visit to Ukraine, meets President Zelenskyy

Former Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Thursday, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and touring the war-torn country as it fights Russian aggression. Pence, who this month launched his campaign for the Republican nomination for president, has been deeply critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. He has called on the US to deliver more military aid to the country and criticised GOP rivals who have questioned the ongoing US involvement, saying there is no room in the party for Putin apologists" and pushing back against those who want the US to take on a more limited role on the world stage. Pence spent roughly 12 hours in the country on Thursday, according to an adviser, with stops in Moshchun, Bucha and Irpin, according to NBC News, which travelled with him. I'm here because it's important that the American people understand the progress that we've made and how support for the Ukrainian military has been in ou

Belarus leader approved forced transfers of Ukrainian children: Opposition

A Belarusian opposition activist says that he has provided the International Criminal Court with materials allegedly detailing President Alexander Lukashenko's involvement in the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to Belarus, accusations angrily rejected by Minsk. Lukashenko has been Moscow's closest ally, allowing the Kremlin to use Belarusian territory to send troops and weapons into Ukraine, welcoming a continued Russian military presence in Belarus and the deployment of some of Russia's tactical nuclear weapons there. The authoritarian leader has also agreed to a union state project that has seen Moscow and Minsk tighten their economic, political and defense ties, while so far stopping short of a full merger. Pavel Latushka, a former Belarusian culture minister, said Tuesday that the materials he has handed over to the ICC indicate that more than 2,100 Ukrainian children from at least 15 Russia-occupied Ukrainian cities have been forcibly taken to Belarus with Lukashenko's

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Nepali Gurkhas joining Wagner group for Russian citizenship, better life

While the prospect of Russian citizenship lures the Nepali Gurkhas, the discontinuation of recruitment to the Indian Army also appears to have played a role in this

EU foreign ministers allocate over 3 bn euro for military aid to Ukraine

Following a meeting in Luxembourg, Foreign Ministers of 27 EU member states have approved a 3.5 billion euro increase in the European Peace Facility

US to send $500 million in weapons, military aid to Ukraine, say officials

The Pentagon will announce it is sending up to USD 500 million in military aid to Ukraine, including more than 50 heavily armored vehicles and an infusion of missiles for air defense systems, U.S. officials said Monday, as Ukrainian and Western leaders try to sort out the impact of the brief weekend insurrection in Russia. The aid is aimed at bolstering Ukraine's counteroffensive, which has been moving slowly in its early stages. It wasn't clear Monday if Ukrainian forces will be able to take advantage of the disarray in the Russian ranks, in the aftermath of the short-lived rebellion by Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner mercenary group that he has controlled. An announcement on the aid package is expected Tuesday. This would be the 41st time since the Russian invasion into Ukraine in February 2022 that the U.S. has provided military weapons and equipment through presidential drawdown authority. The program allows the Pentagon to quickly take items from its own stocks and deliver them

European natural gas prices rise as Russian mutiny adds to supply fear

The uncertainty of what could happen in the coming weeks within Russia itself, rather than within Ukraine, is pushing gas higher