Ukraine getting ‘closer and closer’ to becoming Nato member, says secretary general
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Ukraine has launched a major overnight aerial and naval drone attack on Vladimir Putin’s forces in occupied Crimea, according to officials.
Moscow’s defence ministry claimed to have downed 33 air drones and 10 unmanned Ukrainian boats over the Black Sea, as residents reported loud explosions near Sevastopol.
It comes as Germany revealed it would slash its military aid to Ukraine from £6.72bn to £3.36bn next year, according to its draft budget.
The country’s finance minister assured that the bulk of the money and military aid Kyiv needs has been secured “for the foreseeable future thanks to European instruments and the G7 loans.”
The blow to Kyiv comes as Donald Trump named as his vice presidential pick Senator JD Vance, who opposes military aid for Ukraine and warned Europe will have to rely less on the US to defend the continent.
Ukraine’s defence minister has said the war-hit nation will find a way to battle Russia’s invading forces even if Mr Trump wins a second term and imperils vital US support.
Key PointsShow latest update 1721316605EU leaders hail reset in UK relations as Starmer vows to be Europe’s ‘friend and partner’
Alexander Butler18 July 2024 16:30
1721313407Starmer calls for deeper cooperation on Ukraine and Europe’s problems
Britain’s new prime minister, Keir Starmer, called on Thursday for closer cooperation in Europe to advance support for Ukraine and tackle the continent’s most pressing problems: illegal migration, climate change and energy security.
Opening a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) of more than 40 nations at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, Starmer made his bid for a reset in post-Brexit ties with the European Union.
He distanced himself from the previous Conservative government which had threatened to withdraw from an international treaty on human rights, offering other European leaders a clean slate.
Alexander Butler18 July 2024 15:36
1721312018Russian attacks kill five in eastern Donetsk region, Ukraine says
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s frontline Donetsk region killed five civilians and injured three others on Thursday, damaging private houses and a residential building, prosecutors said.
A woman and her husband were killed in artillery shelling in the village of Pleshchiivka, the general prosecutor’s office said on Telegram.
Another three women were killed in a strike on private buildings in the village of Hrodivka, it added.
Separately, the Russian military dropped two guided bombs on the village of Velyka Novosilka, injuring a man and his wife inside their house, the prosecutors said. Another man was wounded in an artillery strike in the town of Zalizne, they added.
Alexander Butler18 July 2024 15:13
1721309155Nobel prize winners urge Belarus to release political prisoners
Dozens of Nobel prize winners have urged Belarus’s authoritarian leader to release over a thousand political prisoners locked up for criticising his regime.
The 58 Nobel laureates, including Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich, signed an open letter urging Alexander Lukashenko to agree to a political amnesty for 1,400 people behind bars for political activity.
Many of those suffering in harsh conditions were detained after Mr Lukashenko staged a violent crackdown in 2020 to suppress peaceful protests following an election widely believed to have been rigged.
“It is unacceptable to subject the people of your country to severe trials and harsh conditions solely for their beliefs. Every person has the right to their opinion and deserves respect for their individuality,” the letter, addressed to Mr Lukashenko said.
“You have a unique opportunity to turn the page on the past and enter history not only as an uncompromising ruler but also as a political leader who has shown wisdom and compassion, responsible to your people and their future.”
Alexander Butler18 July 2024 14:25
1721304005Wife of jailed Putin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza calls for West to step in now after prison hospital transferWife of jailed Putin critic calls for West to help release her hospitalised husband
British-Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza is desperate to return to his ‘punishment cell’ only a few metres long and wide, with his wife Evgenia deeply concerned about what will happen to him. Tom Watling speaks to her about facing days not knowing where or how he was before a lawyer was allowed to visit the dissident in hospital
Alexander Butler18 July 2024 13:00
1721302205 Ukraine and Russia exchange 95 prisoners of war each in latest deal
Ukraine and Russia have carried out one of their largest exchanges of prisoners of war – 190 people in total –following negotiations mediated by the United Arab Emirates.
Ukrainian PoWs were filmed arriving in coaches at an undisclosed location in Ukraine on Wednesday, before being draped in national flags and chanting, “Glory to Ukraine, glory to the heroes.”
Footage released by Ukraine’s commission for human rights also showed multiple soldiers holding emotional phone calls with their families, the first time they had spoken to relatives since being captured, while another man was pictured in tears collapsing onto the ground.
Alexander Butler18 July 2024 12:30
1721300405Zelensky touches down in UK as Starmer hosts major European summit
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in the United Kingdom as Sir Keir Starmer hosts his first European leader’s summit.
The Ukrainian leader touched down on Thursday for only his third trip to the UK since Russian president Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Mr Zelensky is also due to meet with King Charles during the visit to the UK.
Alexander Butler18 July 2024 12:00
1721298669Donald Trump would be ‘strong and decisive’ in support for Ukraine, says Boris Johnson
Former prime minister Boris Johnson has claimed that Donald Trump “will be strong and decisive” in his support of Ukraine and in “defending democracy”.
The Conservative ex-premier was in Washington this week to attend the Republican National Conference in Milwaukee, where Mr Trump was named the party’s official candidate in the upcoming US presidential elections.
After a photograph circulated showing him giving a speech to a near-empty room at the conference on Tuesday, Mr Johnson later shared an image of himself meeting with Mr Trump, just days after the ex-president survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Alexander Butler18 July 2024 11:31
1721298404Zelensky urges allies to allow long-range strikes on Russia
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky urged allies to allow Western weapons to be used for long-range strikes on Russia, in particular on military airfields.
“The fewer restrictions we have the more Russia will seek peace,” he said in his speech at a European political community meeting in Britain.
He stressed that the allied decision to allow such strikes – only along Russia’s border after it opened a new front in Kharkiv region – has not led to any escalation.
Alexander Butler18 July 2024 11:26
1721298273Zelensky arrives in UK for European leaders meeting
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Britain for a series of bilateral meetings with European countries.
Zelensky arrived at the European Political Community, held in Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, on Thursday, where he will speak to leaders.
The Ukrainian leader published images from an airfield showing him standing with Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, Kyiv’s newly appointed ambassador to London who previously served as the head of the Ukrainian armed forces.
“We will sign an intergovernmental agreement on support for the Ukrainian defence and industrial complex, discuss future defense cooperation, and expand our defense capabilities,” Zelensky said.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Britain for a series of bilateral meetings with European countries (Jacob King/PA Wire)
Alexander Butler18 July 2024 11:24
Source link : https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-ukraine-putin-news-today-germany-aid-b2581725.html
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Publish date : 2024-07-18 11:30:05
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