Russia says its forces have gained control of two villages in eastern Ukraine
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Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
French president Macron announces 6.5 billion euros in extra military spending in next two years
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday announced 6.5 billion euros in extra military spending in the next two years because of new and unprecedented threats from Russia to terrorists to online attacks. The French leader laid out the spending plans in a sweeping speech calling for intensified efforts to protect Europe. He said France will aim to spend 64 billion euros in annual defense spending in 2027–the last year of his second term–that would be double the 32 billion in annual spending when he became president in 2017. 'Since 1945 freedom has never been so threatened and never so seriously,' Macron said in the French president's traditional speech to the military on the eve of the Bastille Day national holiday. 'To be free in this world, we must be feared. To be feared, we must be powerful,' he said. He insisted that France can find the money to spend more on the military even as it tries to bring down massive debts. Conservative and far-right parties have supported greater defense spending, while left-wing parties accuse the government of sacrificing hard-won social welfare benefits for military spending. Europe is in danger because of Russia's war in Ukraine and wars in the Middle East, and because 'the United States have added a form of uncertainty,' Macron said. He also cited online disinformation campaigns by unnamed foreign governments and propaganda operations targeting children in 'the screen era.' Macron also ordered France's top military and defense officials to start a 'strategic dialogue' with European partners about the role that France's nuclear arsenal could play in protecting Europe. France and Britain agreed recently to cooperate on nuclear arsenal issues.
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Russia Slams Report it Backed 'Zero Enrichment' Iran Nuclear Deal
Russia's foreign affairs ministry on Sunday described reports claiming that President Vladimir Putin had encouraged his Iranian ally to accept a "zero enrichment" agreement on its nuclear programme as "defamation". US news outlet Axios reported on Saturday, citing three anonymous sources familiar with the matter, that Putin had "encouraged" Iran to accept a deal with the United States that would prevent the Islamic republic from enriching uranium. The article "appears to be a new political defamation campaign aimed at exacerbating tensions around Iran's nuclear program", the Russian ministry of foreign affairs said on Sunday. "Invariably and repeatedly, we have emphasised the necessity of resolving the crisis concerning Iran's nuclear program exclusively through political and diplomatic means, and expressed our willingness to help find mutually acceptable solutions," the statement read. Publicly, Moscow has defended Tehran's right to use nuclear technology for civilian purposes but in recent months, Putin has also drawn closer to US President Donald Trump. On June 13, Israel launched an unprecedented attack on Iran, triggering a 12-day war. The conflict halted negotiations initiated in April between Tehran and Washington to frame Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting economic sanctions against Iran. On June 22, the United States bombed the underground uranium enrichment site at Fordo, south of Tehran, and nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz. The exact extent of the damage is not known.
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Russia's Lavrov visits Beijing to discuss Ukraine
MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Sunday in Beijing with his Chinese counterpart to discuss Ukraine and relations with the United States. Russia's top diplomat arrived in China following a visit to North Korea, where he received assurances of support in its conflict with Ukraine. Lavrov and Wang Yi 'discussed relations with the United States and the outlook for settling the Ukrainian crisis,' Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement. China, a diplomatic and economic ally of Moscow, claims to be neutral in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. But it has never denounced Russia's 2022 invasion nor called for it to withdraw its troops, and many of Ukraine's allies believe that China has provided support for Russia. Beijing regularly calls for an end to the fighting, while also accusing Western countries of prolonging the conflict by arming Ukraine. The statement from the Russian foreign ministry said Levrov and Yi also discussed other 'burning issues' such as the war in Gaza and the 'situation on the Korean peninsula.'
