Ukraine: Zelenskyy shakes up leadership amid Trump's 'peace' push; Shmyhal out as PM, Svyrydenko in
Show more
Show less
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
33 minutes ago
- Mint
NATO threatens 100% secondary sanctions on India, China, Brazil over oil & gas trade with Russia
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte issued a stern warning on Wednesday, declaring that the organisation would impose '100% secondary sanctions' on countries continuing to trade oil and gas with Vladimir Putin's Russia. Backed by US President Donald Trump's shifted stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Rutte stated: 'If you are the President of China, or the Prime Minister of India, or the President of Brazil, and you are still trading with the Russians and buying their oil and gas I will impose secondary sanctions at 100%.' The threat of sanctions poses significant diplomatic and economic challenges, particularly for countries like India, which has markedly increased its imports of discounted Russian oil since the invasion began. "My encouragement to these three countries, particularly is, if you live now in Beijing, or in Delhi, or you are the president of Brazil, you might want to take a look into this, because this might hit you very hard," Reuters quoted Mark Rutte telling reporters. "So please make the phone call to Vladimir Putin and tell him that he has to get serious about peace talks, because otherwise this will slam back on Brazil, on India and on China in a massive way," Rutte added. Rutte made the comment while meeting with senators in the US Congress the day after US President Donald Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine and threatened "biting" secondary tariffs of 100% on the buyers of Russian exports unless there is a peace deal in 50 days. Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should not target Moscow and that Vladimir Putin should agree to a ceasefire deal by a 50-day deadline or sanctions will kick in. Trump's comments came after The Financial Times, citing people briefed on discussions, reported on Tuesday that Trump had privately encouraged Ukraine to step up deep strikes on Russia. The newspaper said that Trump asked Zelensky whether he could strike Moscow if the US provided long-range weapons. "No, he shouldn't target Moscow," Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House when asked if Zelensky should attack the Russian capital. Donald Trump on Monday announced a toughened stance against Russia for its three-year-old war in Ukraine, promising a fresh wave of missiles and other weaponry for Ukraine. He gave Moscow 50 days to reach a ceasefire or face sanctions. The announcement set off a scramble among European officials to figure out how to make Trump's plan work and ensure Ukraine gets the weapons it needs. Later on Tuesday, Trump told reporters that some of the Patriot missiles are already on their way to Ukraine. "They're coming in from Germany," he said. India has maintained a carefully calibrated stance amid the Russia-Ukraine war, balancing its longstanding strategic partnership with Russia against growing international pressure. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has openly expressed sorrow over civilian casualties in Ukraine, and described the conflict as a departure from an era of peace, India has refrained from condemning Russia outright, instead emphasising dialogue and peace. India's approach reflects its deep defence dependence on Russia and pragmatic economic interests, including substantial imports of discounted Russian crude. At the same time, India has abstained from key UN resolutions condemning Moscow and avoided joining Western-led sanctions, seeking to preserve strategic autonomy while advancing its own global profile.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Is Ukraine planning to hit Moscow? Major threat to Putin as Trump promises Zelensky deadliest long-range weapons, secretly orders....
Amid US President Donald Trump call for imposing 100 per cent 'secondary tariffs' on Moscow if Russian President Vladimir Putin fails to end the conflict in Ukraine within 50 days, Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal have warned countries, including India, of economic sanctions if they continue business with Russia. In addition, U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider attacking Russia. In a private conversation, Trump asked Zelensky directly whether Ukraine could strike at Moscow and St. Petersburg if the U.S. supplied them with weapons of greater impact. UK outlet Financial Times published the bombshell, citing sources familiar with the matter. According to the report, Trump quizzed Zelensky about whether Ukraine could strike inside Russia. The conversation allegedly occurred on July 4 — U.S. Independence Day — when Trump directly asked Zelensky if Ukraine could attack Moscow and St. Petersburg. Zelensky answered, 'Absolutely.' The Financial Times reported the incendiary conversation occurred a day after Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin, a call Trump later described as 'bad.' Where could Ukraine potentially strike inside Russia? Earlier on Tuesday, Trump announced fresh military support for Ukraine and threatened sweeping tariffs on Russia's trading partners, in a bid to pressure Moscow into ending its war within 50 days, The Hill reported. As per The Hill, Trump unveiled the plan during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, stating that Europe would bear the cost of advanced American weaponry, including Patriot missile systems, which are vital to defend Kyiv from intensified Russian air assaults.'These weapons can move quickly to Kyiv,' Trump said, while stopping short of offering specific timelines. The move follows NATO's recent decision to boost collective defense spending, the outlet noted. What are Trump's new demands regarding Russia and its allies? Trump offered a blunt ultimatum. If Russia does not take any steps toward a ceasefire or a peace agreement in the next 50 days, the U.S. will impose sanctions on countries that continue to buy oil and gas from Russia, which includes countries like China and India. As per a joint statement by Graham and Blumenthal, China, India, Brazil, and other nations 'that prop up Putin's war machine' by purchasing 'cheap Russian oil and gas', which that claim is fuelling Putin's effort in the conflict with Russia. It called for the imposition of tariffs as high as 500 per cent on any country that helps Russia. Trump announced 'secondary tariffs' on Russia during his meeting with NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte on Monday (US local time). Experts believe that Trump's request for Ukraine to hit hard behind Russian lines demonstrates his frustration and rage that he cannot stop Ukraine from the war, and push Russia beyond its ability to wage further conflict against Ukraine. Why could Russia's retaliation lead to NATO invoking Article 5? Trump has strenuously suggested that he was going to end the war. However, now he is speaking of supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles to hurt Russia and push it back to the negotiation table. Two high-level sources told the Financial Times that there is increasing support from U.S. officials to give Ukraine the long-range missiles. However, experts caution that if the U.S. were to provide weapons to Ukraine that could strike deep inside Russia and particularly target cities such as Moscow, the situation could become very serious. Zelensky has wanted to attack inside Russia from the beginning, and America's backing could only propel the world into a catastrophic war. Russia could not only respond to all major Ukrainian cities in retaliation, but it could also target military bases of NATO allies like Poland and Romania. This could create serious discussions within NATO about invoking Article 5, which declares that an attack on one member is an attack on all. Trump stated that Ukraine would receive weapons worth billions of dollars. He mentioned advanced weapons would be manufactured and sent to NATO as well. He added that Washington's NATO allies would pay for them. These weapons are for Patriot air defense systems to protect Ukraine from counterattack by Russia. Trump also said that the system was a full system with batteries.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Ukraine's Prime Minister resigns, opening the door to a broad government reshuffle
Ukraine's Prime Minister announced his resignation on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) in the first formal step of what is expected to be a significant reshuffle of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's government, which could also see the country's ambassador to Washington replaced. 'I am tendering my resignation from the post of the Prime Minister of Ukraine,' Denys Shmyhal wrote in a letter posted on his Telegram page. Mr. Zelenskyy said on Monday (July 14, 2025) that he has offered Mr. Shmyhal's job to 39-year-old Yuliia Svyrydenko, who is currently Deputy Prime Minister and the country's first female Economy Minister. Ms. Svyrydenko played a key role in negotiating a U.S.–Ukraine mineral agreement. She has frequently represented Ukraine in high-level talks with Western partners, focusing on defense cooperation, economic recovery and reconstruction. It wasn't immediately clear how the reshuffle will play out in coming days, as the Ukrainian Parliament must schedule a vote on Mr. Zelenskyy's proposed changes amid the all-out war launched by Russia on Feb. 24, 2022. The reshuffle coincides with increasing pressure on the front line by Russia's bigger army and escalating assaults by drones and missiles on Ukrainian cities. U.S. President Donald Trump pledged on Monday to supply more weapons for Ukraine, paid for by European countries. But Kyiv officials are keen to lock in Washington's future support amid fears that the Republican administration could walk away from the conflict. 'To us it is very important, in the context of what is happening now, to strengthen ties with the U.S.,' Mr. Zelenskyy said last week. The Ukrainian leader recently said that he thought Mr. Shmyhal would make a good Defense Minister — a move that would make the current defense chief, Rustem Umerov, available to take over as Ukraine's envoy to Washington, observers note. Mr. Zelenskyy had previously voiced his intention to replace U.S. Ambassador Oksana Markarova. Mr. Umerov, 43, was appointed as Ukraine's Defense Minister in September 2023, following a series of corruption scandals. He has sought to introduce reforms, but critics said that the Defense Ministry was plagued by mismanagement.
