Latest news with #F-16


Daily Mirror
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
JD Vance says Americans 'done' with Ukraine war cost as Putin-Zelensky meeting hints grow
In an interview with Fox News US Vice President JD Vance said Americans are 'sick' of spending money on the war in Ukraine and said Donald Trump needs to get Zelensky and Putin to 'sit down' together Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin may meet face-to-face for the first time since Russia's invasion this week. Putin is set to attend a summit with US President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday, and the US President is reportedly considering inviting the Ukrainian leader. A senior US official told NBC News it is "absolutely" possible after Mr Zelensky warned against shutting him out of peace negotiations. In an interview that screened on Sunday, US Vice President JD Vance said Americans are "done" paying to support Ukraine. And he said neither side is likely to be happy with a peace deal. It comes after NATO scrambled warplanes as Russia shoots down West's F-16 fighter jet in Ukraine onslaught. UK facing 'dire' domestic abuse crisis with thousands of victims 'trapped' Mr Vance told Fox News in an interview filmed last Thursday: 'We want to bring about a peaceful settlement to this thing. We want to stop the killing. "But Americans, I think, are sick of continuing to send their money, their tax dollars, to this particular conflict. But if the Europeans want to step up and actually buy the weapons from American producers, we're okay with that. But we're not going to fund it ourselves anymore.' He said Mr Trump "needs to force President Putin and President Zelensky to sit down to figure out their differences". He admitted that a deal to end the war is "not going to make anybody super happy", adding: "Both the Russians and the Ukrainians, probably, at the end of the day, are going to be unhappy with it." A White House official yesterday(SUN) told the Associated Press that Mr Trump is open to Mr Zelensky joining his meeting with Putin. The Ukrainian President said that excluding his country from vital talks will only result in "dead solutions". After being backed by European leaders including Keir Starmer - who signed a statement of solidarity - Mr Zelensky said: "The end of the war must be fair, and I am grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine and our people." Last week Mr Trump suggested a peace deal may include "some swapping of territories" - sparking fears that Kyiv could be pressured into giving up land or other concessions. Saturday's statement, signed by the president of the European Union and leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland and the UK, stressed the need for a "just and lasting peace" for Kyiv, including "robust and credible" security guarantees. "Ukraine has the freedom of choice over its own destiny. Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities," the statement said. "The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force," the Europeans added.


News18
18 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
‘Your Turn Will Come…': What PM Modi Told Navy Chief After India–Pakistan Ceasefire
Last Updated: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark came after the Navy was asked to hold back from a reportedly planned strike on Karachi port during Operation Sindoor. While reviewing the Operation Sindoor with the Indian defence forces' chiefs amid soaring tensions with Pakistan on May 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the efforts of Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh for their roles in the operation. He then turned to Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi and said, ' Humne aapke mooh se niwala cheen liya, aapko mauka phir milega (I have snatched the morsel out of your mouth, but your turn will come)", reported Hindustan Times. The Prime Minister's remark came after the Navy was asked to hold back from a reportedly planned strike on Karachi port during Operation Sindoor. As per the report, PM Modi remained unfazed by the possibility of a retaliatory Pakistani missile strike on Gujarat, and granted the three service chiefs complete operational autonomy. Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, a staunch advocate for the Navy's offensive capabilities, was ready to launch BrahMos missiles at Karachi port on May 10 until he was ordered to hold back, the news outlet reported. Operation Sindoor India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7– bombing terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in pre-dawn strikes that killed at least 100 militants– in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent people. The operation sparked four days of cross-border fighting involving fighter jets, missiles and artillery. Between 8 and 10 May, IAF fighter jets struck 11 military air bases across Pakistan in a coordinated, precision-led campaign. The IAF also destroyed several key Pakistani assets, including fighter aircraft, radar systems, and an airborne early warning platform. Intelligence reports confirm that a hangar at Chaklala airbase in Rawalpindi housing C-130 Hercules aircraft was heavily damaged and two F-16 jets were destroyed in Jacobabad. The objective was to cripple the Pakistan Air Force's capability to launch aerial attacks using drones and fighter jets. While addressing an event on Saturday, the IAF Chief had said that India's air defence surface-to-air missile systems destroyed five Pakistani fighter jets and an AEW&C/ELINT aircraft, which is a specialised military plane designed for airborne surveillance, early warning. He also said that some parked F-16 jets were destroyed in Jacobabad and an AEW&C in Bholari. India's Defence System During Operation Sindoor, India's Akash missile defence system and security shields like the S-400 fortified the nation's defences. Pakistan launched a wave of drone attacks using UAVs acquired from Turkey. While Pakistan rained drones, India's defence system proved strong, intercepting and destroying about 99 percent of them in time. On the intervening night of May 7 and 8, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in northern and western India, including Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankote, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Grid and Air Defence systems. Air Defence systems detect, track, and neutralise threats using a network of radars, control centres, artillery, and both aircraft- and ground-based missiles. On the morning of May 8, the armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: News india 'Your Turn Will Come…': What PM Modi Told Navy Chief After India–Pakistan Ceasefire Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Donald Trump 'considering' inviting Zelenskyy to peace summit meeting, sources say
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are set to meet for a summit in Alaska next Friday to discuss the war in Ukraine - but it has not yet been officially confirmed if Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be invited Donald Trump is reportedly "considering" inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the summit meeting with Vladimr Putin in Alaska next Friday. Trump and Putin are set to meet to discuss the war in Ukraine and an invitation for the Ukrainian leader is 'being discussed,' according to NBC News, citing three people briefed on internal conversations about the meeting. A senior U.S. official reportedly told NBC News that Zelensky's attendance is 'absolutely' possible, but it is believed that no official invite has been talked about with Kyiv as of yet. It comes after NATO scrambled warplanes as Russia shoots down West's F-16 fighter jet in Ukraine onslaught. When quizzed over an official invite, a senior White House official told NBC: 'The President remains open to a trilateral summit with both leaders. Right now, the White House is focusing on planning the bilateral meeting requested by President Putin.' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has cast doubt over the upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, cautioning that any peace agreement which sidelines Kyiv is doomed to fail. The meeting, set for Friday in Alaska, is being seen as a potentially pivotal moment. Zelenskyy, who voiced his concerns via a Telegram post on Saturday, warned that shutting Ukraine out of peace talks would only result in "dead solutions." Zelenskyy's remarks highlight fears that direct dialogue between Trump and Putin could undermine both Kyiv's and Europe's interests, emphasising that "Any solutions that are without Ukraine, are at the same time, solutions against peace. They will not bring anything. These are dead solutions, they will never work." This meeting could be a turning point in a conflict that started over three years ago when Russia invaded its western neighbour, leading to tens of thousands of casualties. However, there is no guarantee it will end the violence as Moscow and Kyiv are still at odds over their peace terms. In a joint statement last night, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the leaders of France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland and the European Commission said Ukraine's future cannot be decided without Kyiv. It said: "Ukraine has the freedom of choice over its own destiny. Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities. "The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force. The current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations."


Yomiuri Shimbun
a day ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
India Shot down Six Pakistani Military Aircraft in May, Air Force Chief Says
NEW DELHI, Aug 9 (Reuters) – India shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and one other military aircraft during clashes in May, India's air force chief said on Saturday, in the first such public claim by the country after its worst military conflict in decades with its neighbour. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif rejected the statement, saying India had not hit or destroyed a single Pakistani aircraft. At an event in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru, Indian Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh said most of the Pakistani aircraft were downed by India's Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system. He cited electronic tracking data as confirmation of the strikes. 'We have at least five fighters confirmed killed, and one large aircraft,' he said, adding that the large aircraft, which could be a surveillance plane, was shot down at a distance of 300 km (186 miles). 'This is actually the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill,' he said, prompting applause from the crowd that included serving air force officers, veterans, and government and industry officials. Singh did not mention the type of fighter jets that were downed, but said that airstrikes also hit an additional surveillance plane and 'a few F-16' fighters that were parked in hangars at two air bases in southeastern Pakistan. In a post on X, Pakistan's defence minister accused India of dishonesty. 'If the truth is in question, let both sides open their aircraft inventories to independent verification – though we suspect this would lay bare the reality India seeks to obscure,' he said. 'Such comical narratives, crafted for domestic political expediency, increase the grave risks of strategic miscalculation in a nuclearised environment.' Islamabad, whose air force primarily operates Chinese-made jets and U.S. F-16s, has previously denied that India downed any Pakistani aircraft during the May 7-10 fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours. U.S. officials have told Reuters previously that they were not aware any U.S.-made F-16 planes inside Pakistan had been hit. The Pentagon did not immediately respond for a request for comment on Saturday. Pakistan has claimed that it shot down six Indian aircraft during the clashes, including a French-made Rafale fighter. India has acknowledged some losses but denied losing six aircraft. France's air chief, General Jerome Bellanger, has previously said that he has seen evidence of the loss of three Indian fighters, including a Rafale. The Indian Air Force has not commented on the claims.

Nikkei Asia
a day ago
- Politics
- Nikkei Asia
India shot down 6 Pakistani military aircraft in May: air force chief
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -- India shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and one other military aircraft during clashes in May, India's air force chief said on Saturday, in the first such public claim by the country after its worst military conflict in decades with its neighbor. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif rejected the statement, saying India had not hit or destroyed a single Pakistani aircraft. At an event in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru, Indian Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh said most of the Pakistani aircraft were downed by India's Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system. He cited electronic tracking data as confirmation of the strikes. "We have at least five fighters confirmed killed, and one large aircraft," he said, adding that the large aircraft, which could be a surveillance plane, was shot down at a distance of 300 km (186 miles). "This is actually the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill," he said, prompting applause from the crowd that included serving air force officers, veterans, and government and industry officials. Singh did not mention the type of fighter jets that were downed, but said that airstrikes also hit an additional surveillance plane and "a few F-16" fighters that were parked in hangars at two air bases in southeastern Pakistan. In a post on X, Pakistan's defence minister accused India of dishonesty. "If the truth is in question, let both sides open their aircraft inventories to independent verification - though we suspect this would lay bare the reality India seeks to obscure," he said. "Such comical narratives, crafted for domestic political expediency, increase the grave risks of strategic miscalculation in a nuclearised environment." Islamabad, whose air force primarily operates Chinese-made jets and U.S. F-16s, has previously denied that India downed any Pakistani aircraft during the May 7-10 fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors. U.S. officials have told Reuters previously that they were not aware any U.S.-made F-16 planes inside Pakistan had been hit. The Pentagon did not immediately respond for a request for comment on Saturday. Pakistan has claimed that it shot down six Indian aircraft during the clashes, including a French-made Rafale fighter. India has acknowledged some losses but denied losing six aircraft. France's air chief, General Jerome Bellanger, has previously said that he has seen evidence of the loss of three Indian fighters, including a Rafale. The Indian Air Force has not commented on the claims.