Latest news with #KęstutisBudrys
Fox News
a day ago
- Politics
- Fox News
New Romanian law may have averted NATO clash with Russia after border strikes
Russia narrowly avoided an armed skirmish with Romania, a member of the NATO alliance, after striking just a half mile from its border. Romanian defense officials believe the new law passed by parliament explicitly allowing its armed forces to shoot down Russian drones that fly over its territory prevented the Kremlin from incurring on its territory. Russia struck a gas distribution center in the Ismail Area of Ukraine with Shahed kamikaze drones on Tuesday and Wednesday, so close to Romania's border that Bucharest deployed F-16 aircraft to monitor. No unauthorized intrusions were reported. "They know we passed this law, and in the last two months they have avoided crossing into our airspace," one Romanian defense source told Fox News Digital. Ilie Bolojan, Romania's then-acting president, signed the law, which Romanian parliament had passed in February in response to Russian drones spilling over into its territory during attacks on Ukraine. The law specifies that Romanian authorities must establish the drone's position and identity, attempt contact, intercept and fire warning shots, before neutralizing it. Piloted vehicles can only be destroyed if they conduct an attack or respond aggressively. Romania shares a 380-mile-wide border with Ukraine, though at this time there is no evidence Moscow has deliberately targeted its territory. Ukraine typically receives gas through the Orlovka gas distribution center in Izmail from Greece, Turkey and Romania. If Russia had incurred into Romanian territory and Romania responded by shooting down its drones, a tit-for-tat escalation risks drawing a NATO member state directly into the war. NATO allies agree to Article 5, a collective defense pact that states each would come to the aid of the other in the case of an attack. Earlier this week, drones believed to originate in Belarus, a client state of Russia, landed in Lithuanian territory. Other eastern European states have enacted new laws to fortify their borders from the threat of Russia: Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania pulled out of an international treaty banning the use of landmines over humanitarian concerns earlier this year. Lithuania this week asked NATO to help strengthen its air defenses after a Russian drone carrying explosives entered its territory. "This is not just Lithuanian airspace, not just Lithuania's security — it is NATO airspace, NATO security and also EU security," foreign minister Kęstutis Budrys said.
Euronews
2 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Lithuania asks NATO for air defence help after Russian drone incidents
Lithuania has asked NATO to help bolster its air defences after revealing that two Russian military drones flew into its territory from Belarus last month. Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said on Wednesday that he had spoken with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to discuss "regional security and the recent drone incidents in Lithuania". The pair "agreed on the need of immediate steps to strengthen air defence capabilities along NATO's frontlines," Budrys wrote in a post on X. Earlier this week, Lithuania said that a drone had crossed into the country on 28 July. Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene said that the drone was likely directed by Russia towards Kyiv but became disorientated by Ukraine's defences and unintentionally entered Lithuanian territory. The drone, which was found in a military training area days later, was carrying explosives, according to the country's Prosecutor-General Nida Grunskiene. Authorities identified it as a Russian Gerbera drone, a type usually used as a decoy in Moscow's strikes against Ukraine, according to local media reports. Separately, the Lithuanian foreign ministry said earlier this month that it had demanded an explanation from Minsk over the "unlawful entry of a Russian-made Gerbera multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle into Lithuanian airspace from Belarus on 10 July." "These repeated incidents represent an alarming sign of the spillover of Russia's aggression against Ukraine onto NATO territory," Budrys said on X on Tuesday. "Air defence is vital to allied security. Securing NATO's Eastern Flank must remain a top priority for the Alliance." NATO and EU member Lithuania borders Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and Moscow-allied Belarus. In January, the Baltic state said it would raise its defence spending to between 5% and 6% of GDP starting next year, from the just over 3% it currently spends. That made it the first NATO nation to vow to reach a new 5% target long demanded by US President Donald Trump. Russia has ramped up strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent months, ignoring calls from Western leaders such as Trump to stop striking civilian areas after more than three years of war. In addition to Lithuania, other eastern flank countries such as Romania, Poland and Latvia have reported incidents such as Russian drones violating their airspace and missiles being fired near their respective borders with Ukraine. Lithuania's request to NATO came amid the Lithuanian government's resignation following Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas' decision to step down last week amid a series of corruption allegations. President Gitanas Nausėda appointed Finance Minister Rimantas Šadžius as acting prime minister. He'll serve as the government's caretaker until a new cabinet is sworn in.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Ukraine war briefing: Call for Nato action after Russian drone intrudes on Lithuania
Lithuania has called for Nato help to boost its air defences after Russian military drones repeatedly violated its airspace. 'Last Monday, a Russian military drone violated Lithuanian airspace,' said Kęstutis Budrys, the foreign minister in Vilnius. 'This marks the second such incident in less than a month. Similar airspace violations have also been reported recently by other allies.' Budrys added that he and the defence minister, Dovilė Šakalienė, had asked the Nato secretary general for 'immediate measures to enhance air defence capabilities in Lithuania and accelerate the full implementation of the rotational air defence model. Air defence is vital to allied security. Securing Nato's eastern flank must remain a top priority for the alliance.' Amid the nuclear row between Donald Trump and Dmitry Medvedev, the Kremlin has moved to play down the latter's role in Russian decision-making, the Institute for the Study of War has said. The thinktank said Medvedev was subsequently being portrayed as having a 'different assessment' from Putin on nuclear issues. An ISW assessment said: 'The Kremlin regularly uses Medvedev to introduce nuclear threats into the Russian and international information spaces.' Medvedev, a high-ranked official who was once prime minister of Russia, as well as a proxy for Putin in the presidency, accused Trump of taking 'a step towards war' by tightening an ultimatum for Russia to seek peace. Trump in response said he had moved two nuclear submarines into position 'just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that'. The ISW further assessed that 'Kremlin officials utilised three main framings to respond to Trump's decision to redeploy the submarines: posing Trump's decision to redeploy the submarines as 'emotional,' discounting the threat that this decision poses to Russia, and posturing Russia as a more responsible international actor than the United States … These official Russian responses ignore the Kremlin's history of frequently using nuclear saber-rattling to push the west to make decisions that benefit Russia. On the battlefield, the ISW said that Ukrainian forces had recently advanced near Pokrovsk, which Russian forces have been trying to capture since at least July 2024. Russian forces recently advanced near Kupyansk, Siversk, Toretsk, and Velykomykhailivka, the institute said. Russian claimed on Tuesday to have captured the village of Sichneve in east-central Dnipropetrovsk region. The Reuters news agency, which carried the claim, said it could not independently confirm it. Donald Trump has said he will make a decision on whether to sanction countries that purchase Russian oil after a meeting with Russian officials scheduled for Wednesday. That is when Steve Witkoff – real estate promoter, friend of Trump and officially his Russia envoy – is due to meet with Russian leadership in Moscow. A Bloomberg report suggested that Putin might agree to a ceasefire in terms of airstrike but not on the ground. Also on Tuesday, the Financial Times reported that Trump's administration is considering additional sanctions on Russia's 'shadow fleet' of oil tankers that illicitly move Russian oil. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's president, said on Tuesday he'd had a 'productive' conversation with Trump about ending the war, sanctions on Russia and the finalisation of a US-Ukraine drone deal. Ukraine, he said, had long supported US proposals for an immediate ceasefire and had proposed a number of formats to implement a halt to the fighting. 'We have spoken with and proposed to Russia quiet in the skies, no missile and drone attacks and specifically no attacks on civilian infrastructure or on the energy sector. All of this has been violated by the Russians and in a very cynical fashion.' The $300m superyacht of a sanctioned Russian billionaire is being auctioned off. The 348-foot (106-metre) Amadea was seized in Fiji in April 2022 from its former owner, Suleiman Kerimov, and is berthed in San Diego California. The auction is being held by National Maritime Services, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, company. Sealed bids are being accepted until 10 September subject to a $10m deposit. The US Congress has passed legislation allowing the sale of seized Russian assets to fund humanitarian assistance for Ukraine.
Newsweek
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Ukrainian President Moves to Withdraw From Ottawa Convention: What to Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday signed a decree to withdraw the country from the Ottawa Convention, an international treaty that bans the use and stockpiling of antipersonnel landmines, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirmed on Sunday. The decree comes after more than three years since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. When asked for additional comment on Sunday morning, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred Newsweek to its website post. Why It Matters Antipersonnel mines are designed to use against humans rather than tanks or military vehicles and cannot distinguish between civilians and combatants. As they are hidden and often scattered, the mines often maim or kill civilians long after fighting has ended. The announcement comes the same day as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries scrambled fighter jets, according to the Polish military, after a Ukrainian official said Moscow had launched its largest-scale air attack on the country in more than three years. In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its Eastern European neighbor, with the conflict resulting in significant loss of life, international sanctions on Moscow, and a protracted humanitarian crisis. Russia previously annexed Crimea in 2014. What To Know Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted a statement on its official website that said "Ukraine has made the difficult but necessary political decision to stop the implementation of irrelevant obligations under the Ottawa Convention." The ministry's post continued stating that Russia's "armed aggression" has made Ukraine, and other nearby countries "reassess their positions and adopt a joint political decision to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention." In March, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland announced their intention to withdraw from the treaty, while Finland's parliament voted to do so in June. On Friday, Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kęstutis Budrys, confirmed in an X, formerly Twitter, post that the country has "formally notified the UN Secretary-General of its withdrawal from the Mine Ban Treaty." Ukraine's statement and move to withdraw came just hours after Ukrainian authorities said Russia had launched 477 drones and decoys, as well as 60 missiles of various types, at Kyiv overnight. The country's air force said it had shot down 211 drones with another 225 straying before hitting their targets. Air defenses intercepted one of the short-range ballistic missiles, four of the Kalibr cruise missiles and 33 Kh-101 missiles, according to the military. The attacks into Sunday were the largest airstrikes on Ukraine of more than three years of full-scale war in the country in terms of number of incoming threats, Colonel Yuriy Ignat, an official with Ukraine's Air Force, confirmed to Newsweek. A residential building after a Russian drone attack in Odesa on June 28 amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A residential building after a Russian drone attack in Odesa on June 28 amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. OLEKSANDR GIMANOV/AFP via Getty Images What Is the Ottawa Convention? The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, better known as the Ottawa Convention or Mine Ban Treaty, went into effect in 1999. More than 160 countries had signed onto the treaty over the years, with Ukraine having ratified it in 2005. Neither Russia nor the United States is a party to the treaty. What People Are Saying Russia's Defense Ministry said in a June 29 statement on Telegram: "At night, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered a mass strike by air-, ground-, and sea-based long-range precision weaponry, the Kindzhal hypersonic aero-ballistic missile system as well as unmanned aerial vehicles at Ukrainian defense industry and oi-refining enterprises." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in an X, formerly Twitter, post on June 29: "Almost all night long, air raid alerts sounded across Ukraine — 477 drones were in our skies, most of them Russian-Iranian Shaheds, along with 60 missiles of various types. The Russians were targeting everything that sustains life. A residential building in Smila was also hit, and a child was injured. Emergency services are responding wherever they're needed." Roman Kostenko, the People's Deputy of Ukraine, wrote in a Sunday Facebook post, "This is a step that the reality of war has long demanded. Russia is not a side of this convention and massively applies mines against our military and civilian. We cannot stay bound when the enemy has no limitations." What Happens Next Zelensky's signature to withdraw now advances the measure to the Ukrainian parliament, which will vote on the matter. If approved, then the country must notify the United Nations.
See - Sada Elbalad
28-06-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Lithuania Withdraws from Landmine Ban Treaty
Israa Farhan Lithuania has formally notified the United Nations of its withdrawal from the Ottawa Treaty, which bans the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel landmines. The announcement marks a significant shift in regional defense policy amid rising security concerns in Eastern Europe. According to Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, the decision was driven by what he described as the growing existential threat posed by Russia. He stated that Lithuania views Moscow as the primary long-term danger to European security, prompting the need for expanded defensive capabilities. The move follows similar signals from neighboring countries. Poland's lower house of parliament recently approved legislation to withdraw from the treaty, with Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz calling the move essential for regional security. He emphasized that the current geopolitical landscape requires all available deterrent measures to ensure national defense. Reports also indicate that Poland, Finland, and the Baltic states are already constructing fortified defensive lines along their borders using anti-personnel mines. Analysts have described this effort as reminiscent of a 'new Iron Curtain,' designed to counter potential aggression from Russia. On March 18, the defense ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland issued a joint recommendation urging their governments to exit the Ottawa Convention. Finland later joined this initiative, reflecting a growing consensus among NATO's eastern flank countries on the need for greater military preparedness. The Ottawa Treaty, which entered into force in 1999, has been signed by 164 nations, including Ukraine. The treaty prohibits the use of anti-personnel mines due to their long-term humanitarian impact. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, these weapons continue to kill and maim civilians for years after hostilities end, posing a persistent threat in post-conflict regions. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
