Russia becomes first country to recognise Taliban government of Afghanistan
"We believe that the act of official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in various fields," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
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BBC News
28 minutes ago
- BBC News
Newshour Zelensky hails talks with Trump and European leaders as 'significant'
President Volodymyr Zelensky says work has already started on security guarantees for Ukraine after talks in Washington about how to end the war. But there's been no let up in Russian attacks on Ukraine - with oil and gas infrastructure targeted overnight. Also in the programme: Mediators await Israeli response to new Gaza ceasefire proposal; entire church begins two-day journey across Swedish city; and the women trapped in Afghanistan's mental health system. (Photo: President Volodymyr Zelensky. Credit: EPA)
The Independent
30 minutes ago
- The Independent
What could US and Europe security guarantees look like for Ukraine?
World leaders gathered in Washington on Monday for a summit billed as a potential turning point in efforts to end the most significant ground war in Europe since the Second World War. In the Oval Office, Donald Trump hosted Ukraine 's Volodymyr Zelensky and senior European figures to thrash out what security guarantees for Ukraine might look like if a peace deal with Russia can be reached. The meeting was described as 'historic' by Sir Keir Starmer, who has emerged as one of the driving forces behind Europe's response. But even as the talks took place, Moscow dismissed the plans as dangerous and warned against any Western military presence in Ukraine. Trump has made clear that the United States will not commit troops on the ground in Ukraine. But the prospect of an arrangement that borrows some of the deterrent effect of Nato's Article 5 has been discussed, a move revealed by the alliance's secretary general Mark Rutte. He told Fox News: 'What we are discussing here is not Nato membership, what we are discussing here is Article 5 type of security guarantees for Ukraine and what exactly they will entail will now be more specifically discussed." Ukraine also wants to buy $90 billion (£67bn) worth of US weapons and says they could form part of the security guarantee. Beyond that, however, Trump has been vague about how much the US would contribute. Speaking in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump underlined that European nations would be expected to carry most of the burden. 'When it comes to security, there's going to be a lot of help,' he said, sitting next to Zelensky. 'They are a first line of defence because they're there. But we'll help them out.' British guarantees and the coalition of the willing The United Kingdom has taken a leading role in shaping European proposals. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has spearheaded the creation of a 'coalition of the willing', a group of allies prepared to go further than financial and weapons support. Under this plan, international 'reassurance' forces could be deployed in Ukraine after a ceasefire or peace deal, helping to deter renewed Russian attacks and to provide reassurance that Kyiv is not left to stand alone. The plan was discussed in a virtual meeting on Tuesday attended by more than 30 international leaders. The virtual meeting, co-chaired by Sir Keir, also discussed possible further sanctions on Russia to pile pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the war. European leaders see security guarantees as essential to any peace deal, but they also stress that Ukraine must be directly involved in shaping the terms. The European Union 's existing training mission for Ukrainian troops will also continue, ensuring that Kyiv can sustain and modernise its armed forces in the years ahead. Moscow has dismissed Western plans for security guarantees. The Russian foreign ministry yesterday reiterated its opposition to the deployment of Nato or Nato-affiliated troops in Ukraine, warning that such a move would be seen as a direct threat to Russia's security.
The Sun
31 minutes ago
- The Sun
Ukraine fires new ‘Flamingo' missile that can strike Moscow for the first time after it was ‘inspired by British bomb'
UKRAINE has fired a groundbreaking new long-range missile dubbed "Flamingo" which will let Kyiv to strike Moscow for the first time. The breakthrough weapon can hit targets sitting more than 3,000km away with a menacing 1,000kg warhead - and its design takes inspiration from a British bomb. 8 8 8 Extraordinary footage showed the warhead being shot from a ramp before launching into the sky at breakneck pace. The cruise missile, which is reportedly already in serial production, fires from a twin-axle ramp before propelling itself with a turbofan. The "Flamingo" has a six-metre wingspan and reaches speeds of up to 900km/h before decimating its targets. And its maximum flight time is a whopping four hours. Engineers designed the bomb to feature three main priorities: range, warhead mass and rapid deployment. Its developer, Fire Point, said the systems are being manufactured at a highly protected facility in the Carpathians, in the west of Ukraine. The breath-taking design also features a dorsal air intake for a jet engine and an X-tail. To make sure the missile hits its target, it is also equipped with resistance to electronic warfare. The "Flamingo" is reportedly closely modelled on the FP-5 missile design - an unmanned cruise missile which can hit targets at subsonic speeds. The FP-5 is made by British weapons firm Milanion, a UAE-headquartered defence contractor which has supplied Ukraine in the past. Scheming Putin WON'T draw a line under Ukraine - here's why he won't give up the Donbas The new Ukrainian missile will dramatically boost the county's long-range strike capabilities to face down Putin's bloodthirsty regime. And it would be a gamechanger in defending against the invasion which started over three years ago. The "Flamingo" missile would also complement Ukraine's cutting edge aerial arsenal - which consists of long-range drones and other extended-range missiles. It would also be able to deliver a more powerful blow against any fortified or high-value targets such as oil refineries or air bases. Ukraine has slowly but surely built up its missile program over the last few years to help defend against Putin's invasion. In April 2022, near the outbreak of the war, the "Neptune" anti-ship missile was fired to sink the Russian Moskva cruiser. 8 8 8 It comes as Putin continues to launch vicious assaults on Ukraine, while European allies work with Donald Trump to put together security guarantees for the war-torn country. The Don met with the likes of Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Giorgia Meloni and other European leaders at the White House on Monday. The US President phoned Vladimir Putin during the summit to push him to meet with Zelensky face-to-face. It remains unclear where the two will meet, but the bilateral summit is set to be followed by a trilateral one involving Trump. Switzerland could host the summit between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, in the city of Geneva - and the country promised they would not arrest wanted war criminal Putin if he came for peace talks. The Zelensky-Putin meeting could take place "within two weeks", German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was also at Monday's talks, said after the summit. Trump has also ruled out the prospect of US troops on the ground as a security guarantee for Ukraine. But the White House did not rule out the prospect of supportive American support by sea or air. The US president also admitted Putin could have no interest in securing a deal - but warned that he would face a "rough situation" if he doesn't come to the table. European leaders floated the idea of Nato Article 5-like guarantees for Ukraine, but it is unclear what they would look like as part of any peace deal. Article 5 of Nato states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all, obliging allies to come to each other's defence. 8 8
