Latest news with #Ukraine
Asharq Al-Awsat
6 minutes ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Trump Envoy Says Russian Concern over NATO Enlargement is Fair
US President Donald Trump's envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said Russia's concern over the eastward enlargement of NATO was fair and the United States did not want to see Ukraine in the US-led military alliance. Asked by US network ABC News about a Reuters report that Russia wanted a written pledge over NATO not enlarging eastwards to include Ukraine and other former Soviet republics, Kellogg said: "It's a fair concern." "We've said that to us, Ukraine coming into NATO is not on the table, and we're not the only country that says that - you know I could probably give you four other countries in NATO and it takes 32 of the 32 to allow you to come in to NATO," he told ABC late on Thursday. "That's one of the issues that Russia will bring up." "They're not just talking Ukraine, they're talking the country of Georgia, they're talking Moldova," Kellogg said, adding that a decision on US views of NATO enlargement was for Trump to make. Kellogg said the sequencing of the peace talks would include an attempt to merge the two memorandums drafted by Ukraine and Russia into one single document with talks in Turkey on Monday. "When we get into Istanbul next week we'll sit down and talk," Kellogg said, adding that the national security advisers from Germany, France and Britain would join discussions on the memorandum with the United States. Kellogg said Trump was "frustrated" with Russia because he had seen "a level of unreasonableness" from Russian President Vladimir Putin. He scolded Russia for striking Ukrainian cities and said he had told Ukraine to turn up to talks. A conservative estimate of dead and injured in the Ukraine war - from both sides combined - totals 1.2 million, Kellogg said. "That is a stunning number - this is war on an industrial scale," Kellogg told ABC.
CNN
an hour ago
- General
- CNN
North Korea has sent rockets, missiles and soldiers to Russia, helping ‘terrorize' Ukraine, report finds
North Korea has sent soldiers and millions of munitions, including missiles and rockets, to Russia over the past year, according to a new report by an international watchdog, which details the extent to which Pyongyang has helped Moscow 'terrorize' Ukraine's population over its three-year war. The report was released Thursday by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), an initiative made up of 11 United Nations members, formed after Russia forced the disbandment of a previous UN panel that monitored the implementation of sanctions against North Korea. While some of the team's findings have been well documented – such as North Korea sending troops to fight for Russia – the report lays out the stunning scope and scale of weaponry sent from Pyongyang since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. That includes as many as 9 million rounds of artillery and ammunition in 2024; more than 11,000 troops last year, and another 3,000 troops in the early months of this year; rocket launchers, vehicles, self-propelled guns and other types of heavy artillery; and at least 100 ballistic missiles 'which were subsequently launched into Ukraine to destroy civilian infrastructure and terrorize populated areas such as Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia,' the report found, citing participating states. 'These forms of unlawful cooperation between (North Korea) and Russia contributed to Moscow's ability to increase its missile attacks against Ukrainian cities including targeted strikes against critical civilian infrastructure,' the report said. In return, Russia provided North Korea with various valuable pieces of weaponry and technology, including air defense equipment, anti-aircraft missiles, electronic warfare systems and refined oil, the report said. Moscow has also provided data feedback on Pyongyang's ballistic missiles, helping improve its missile guidance performance, it said. These actions 'allow North Korea to fund its military programs and further develop its ballistic missiles programs, which are themselves prohibited under multiple (UN Security Council resolutions), and gain first-hand experience in modern warfare,' the report found. It said its findings were based on MSMT participating states and cited supporting evidence from the Open Source Centre (OSC), a UK-based non-profit that uses publicly accessible information for research, and Conflict Armament Research (CAR), a UK-based research organization. Both Russia and North Korea are violating the UN arms embargo and are transferring arms and military equipment through actors and networks that evade sanctions, the report alleged. The two countries will likely continue their military cooperation 'at least for the foreseeable future,' it added. In a joint statement, the member nations behind the MSMT – Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States – urged North Korea to 'engage in meaningful diplomacy.' Western governments have become increasingly concerned about the long-term implications of what appears to be a deepening strategic partnership between the two nations. In recent months, the US has warned that Russia may be close to sharing advanced space and satellite technology with North Korea in exchange for continued support for the war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged in April for the first time that North Korean soldiers took part in the fighting to recover Russian territory after Ukraine's incursion into the Kursk region last year. North Korea also confirmed its troop presence there for the first time in April. Though North Korean troops had been deployed to Kursk since at least November, they withdrew from the front lines in January after reports of mass casualties, Ukrainian officials said. Both countries have denied that Pyongyang is supplying arms to Moscow, despite overwhelming evidence. However, as part of a landmark defense pact struck last year, they have both pledged to use all available means to provide immediate military assistance in the event the other is attacked. Putin has warned he would provide arms to Pyongyang if the West continues arming Ukraine. In recent weeks, Ukraine's allies have lifted a ban on Kyiv firing long-range missiles into Russia, after days of Russia bombarding the Ukrainian capital and other regions with massive aerial attacks and as the US grows increasingly frustrated with Putin over the lack of a peace deal.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Russia's concern over NATO's expansion is FAIR, Donald Trump's envoy to Ukraine says
In a startling intervention, Donald Trump 's envoy to the Ukraine has declared that Russia 's long-standing gripes over NATO expansion are fair. Asked by ABC News about a Reuters report that Russia wanted a written pledge over NATO not enlarging eastwards to include Ukraine and other former Soviet republics, retired Keith Kellogg said: 'It's a fair concern.' 'We've said that to us, Ukraine coming into NATO is not on the table, and we're not the only country that says that'. The comment is likely to spark debate, especially among European allies deeply rattled by Moscow 's aggression. Kellogg also claimed that 'four other countries' within NATO also oppose Ukraine's membership, a pointed reference to the alliance's strict rule requiring unanimous approval from all 32 member nations before admitting a new country. The scope of Russia's anxiety doesn't end with Ukraine. 'They're not just talking Ukraine, they're talking the country of Georgia, they're talking Moldova,' Kellogg said. The key Trump confidant and former National Security Adviser added the future of NATO enlargement ultimately rests with Trump. Amid an ongoing diplomatic push to end the bloodshed, Kellogg confirmed that the US is preparing to sit down for peace talks in Istanbul next week, alongside advisers from Germany, France, and the UK. The plan is to merge separate the two memorandums drafted by Ukraine and Russia into a single document. 'When we get into Istanbul next week we'll sit down and talk,' Kellogg confirmed, setting the stage for the high-stakes negotiations. Kellogg said Trump was 'frustrated' with Russia because he had seen 'a level of unreasonableness' from Russian President Vladimir Putin. He scolded Russia for striking Ukrainian cities and said he had told Ukraine to turn up to talks. A conservative estimate of dead and injured in the Ukraine war - from both sides combined - totals 1.2 million, Kellogg said. 'That is a stunning number - this is war on an industrial scale,' Kellogg told ABC. It comes as David Petraeus, a respected former US general and CIA chief, warned that Putin will invade a NATO country if he succeeds in Ukraine. He said Russia could launch an incursion into that Baltic state to test Western resolve or as a precursor to a wider offensive. Mr Petraeus, who headed the CIA after a stellar military career, also criticised US President Donald Trump for repeatedly granting second chances to Putin and took aim at predecessor Joe Biden for failures to adequately arm Ukrainian forces. The CIA chief who led tens of thousands of US, British and other nationality troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan, also called on the UK to withdraw from international accords forbidding the use of cluster munitions on the battlefield. He said that these weapons could prove an essential deterrent. Mr Petraeus stated that Russia's aim was to topple president Volodymyr Zelensky in order to 'install a puppet leader and to control all of Ukraine'. He added: 'Once that's done, you are going to see them focus on one of the Baltic states.
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- General
- Al Arabiya
Ukraine says Russian drones hit port town next to Romania
Russian forces launched a drone attack overnight that targeted a Ukrainian town on the border with NATO member Romania, Ukrainian officials said on Friday. The attack hit the town of Izmail, Ukraine's biggest port on the Danube river, which is important for critical imports and which lies across the river from Romania. A post office branch was destroyed in the drone attack, regional Governor Oleh Kiper said. He reported no casualties. Reuters could not independently verify the report. There was no immediate comment from Russia. Both sides deny targeting civilians in the war that Russia started with its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Former CIA director identifies European country Putin may attack
Vladimir Putin will invade a Nato country if he succeeds in Ukraine, it was warned today. David Petraeus, a respected former US general and CIA chief, also claimed Lithuania would be most at risk. He said Russia could launch an incursion into that Baltic state to test Western resolve or as a precursor to a wider offensive. Mr Petraeus (pictured), who headed the CIA after a stellar military career, also criticised US President Donald Trump for repeatedly granting second chances to Putin and took aim at predecessor Joe Biden for failures to adequately arm Ukrainian forces. Mr Petraeus, who led tens of thousands of US, British and other nationality troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan, also called on the UK to withdraw from international accords forbidding the use of cluster munitions on the battlefield. He said that these weapons could prove an essential deterrent. 'We'll see this time what actually happens. The US also temporised far too long over individual decisions such as M1 [Abrams] tanks. A blind man on a dark night could see it had to be the F-16 [a multi- role fighter aircraft]. There were no more MiGs anywhere in Europe we could provide them [the Ukrainians] with, it had to be F-16s.' 'The same with multiple-launch rocket systems, the improved conventional munitions and lifting the limits [on their use]. This was very unhelpful to the Ukrainians. Each time they'd have to ask and wait, and then we'd say no, and then maybe, and then eventually they'd get it. We should have done so much with the Ukrainians that they could change the dynamic on the battlefield to show Moscow they cannot achieve additional gains on the battlefield at an acceptable cost, knowing what is acceptable to them is quite astronomical.' Mr Petraeus stated that Russia's aim was to topple president Volodymyr Zelensky in order to 'install a puppet leader and to control all of Ukraine'. He added: 'Once that's done, you are going to see them focus on one of the Baltic states. Lithuania has featured prominently in his speeches and we should have listened a lot more.' Mr Petraeus described Russia's losses as 'unimaginable'. Nearly a million Russians are understood to have been battlefield casualties including 500,000 either killed or unfit for the frontline. Russia is thought to be dragging its feet over a peace deal so it can capture more Ukrainian territory. The Kremlin has also refused repeated Ukrainian offers of a 30-day ceasefire, insisting that its grievances must be addressed before the fighting stops. While Mr Trump has changed his tone towards Putin, describing his behaviour as 'absolutely crazy', the US is yet to effectively force him to the negotiating table.
