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Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump Announces ‘Deal' to Arm Ukraine via NATO
Patriot defense batteries are transported at a German military compound in Poland on Jan. 23, 2025. Credit - Dominika Zarzycka—NurPhoto/Getty Images Sometimes Donald Trump says he didn't mean what he said. His repeated promises to end the Russia-Ukraine war on Day 1 of his second-term or sooner were an 'exaggeration' that he 'said in jest,' he told TIME in April. 'I said that figuratively.' Other times, Trump has shown that he meant what he said. Despite noncommittal responses on the campaign trail when pressed about whether he'd halt U.S. military support to Ukraine, he insisted that 'Europe is not paying their fair share.' (Europe has allocated more total aid to Ukraine than the U.S. has since Russia's invasion in 2022 and surpassed the U.S. in total military assistance earlier this year, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy's Ukraine Support Tracker.) On Thursday, Trump announced that he 'just made a deal' to make that happen, telling NBC News that the U.S. will be 'sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for those weapons 100% … then NATO is going to be giving those weapons [to Ukraine].' The arrangement was reportedly first floated during the recent North Atlantic Treaty Organization Summit, where NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte referred to Trump as Europe's 'daddy' and alliance member states agreed to an increase in defense spending. Read More: The Man Who Wants to Save NATO About the plan to use NATO as a middleman for U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine, a Trump Administration official told Axios that the U.S. is 'not sending weapons to Ukraine' but rather 'sending defensive weapons to NATO' and 'NATO can decide what to do with it.' Another source told Axios that the weapons sold to NATO could include offensive weaponry, not just air defense support. Hours before Trump's interview with NBC News was published, Rutte posted on X: 'Russia's continued massive attacks against Ukrainian civilians are deplorable. Earlier today I urged leaders to go further so Ukraine has more ammunition & air defences. I've just spoken with President Trump & am now working closely with Allies to get Ukraine the help they need.' The deal to allow European allies to act as an intermediary for U.S. weapons appears to have come at the suggestion of Ukraine, which Politico reported earlier this month had asked the Trump Administration about the potential for such an arrangement despite usual restrictions on the resale of U.S. weapons. The request from Ukraine came amid a surprise halt by the Pentagon of direct military support to Ukraine, which apparently even blindsided Trump. The Trump Administration has since resumed sending some weapons to Ukraine directly, as Trump has increasingly expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war's continuation. 'I'm disappointed in Russia, but we'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks,' Trump told NBC News, teasing: 'I think I'll have a major statement to make on Russia on Monday.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov at a Southeast Asian diplomatic summit this week, told reporters: 'We need to see a roadmap moving forward about how this conflict can conclude.' Contact us at letters@
Time Magazine
11-07-2025
- Business
- Time Magazine
Trump Announces ‘Deal' to Arm Ukraine via NATO
Sometimes Donald Trump says he didn't mean what he said. His repeated promises to end the Russia-Ukraine war on Day 1 of his second-term or sooner were an 'exaggeration' that he 'said in jest,' he told TIME in April. 'I said that figuratively.' Other times, Trump has shown that he meant what he said. Despite noncommittal responses on the campaign trail when pressed about whether he'd halt U.S. military support to Ukraine, he insisted that 'Europe is not paying their fair share.' (Europe has allocated more total aid to Ukraine than the U.S. has since Russia's invasion in 2022 and surpassed the U.S. in total military assistance earlier this year, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy's Ukraine Support Tracker.) On Thursday, Trump announced that he 'just made a deal' to make that happen, telling NBC News that the U.S. will be 'sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for those weapons 100% … then NATO is going to be giving those weapons [to Ukraine].' The arrangement was reportedly first floated during the recent North Atlantic Treaty Organization Summit, where NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte referred to Trump as Europe's 'daddy' and alliance member states agreed to an increase in defense spending. About the plan to use NATO as a middleman for U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine, a Trump Administration official told Axios that the U.S. is 'not sending weapons to Ukraine' but rather 'sending defensive weapons to NATO' and 'NATO can decide what to do with it.' Another source told Axios that the weapons sold to NATO could include offensive weaponry, not just air defense support. Hours before Trump's interview with NBC News was published, Rutte posted on X: 'Russia's continued massive attacks against Ukrainian civilians are deplorable. Earlier today I urged leaders to go further so Ukraine has more ammunition & air defences. I've just spoken with President Trump & am now working closely with Allies to get Ukraine the help they need.' The deal to allow European allies to act as an intermediary for U.S. weapons appears to have come at the suggestion of Ukraine, which Politico reported earlier this month had asked the Trump Administration about the potential for such an arrangement despite usual restrictions on the resale of U.S. weapons. The request from Ukraine came amid a surprise halt by the Pentagon of direct military support to Ukraine, which apparently even blindsided Trump. The Trump Administration has since resumed sending some weapons to Ukraine directly, as Trump has increasingly expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war's continuation. 'I'm disappointed in Russia, but we'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks,' Trump told NBC News, teasing: 'I think I'll have a major statement to make on Russia on Monday.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov at a Southeast Asian diplomatic summit this week, told reporters: 'We need to see a roadmap moving forward about how this conflict can conclude.'
Euractiv
10-07-2025
- Business
- Euractiv
Ukraine faces ‘difficult' summer as Western aid taps splutter
Military analysts warn Ukraine faces a 'difficult' summer on the battlefield, but Europe may be lacking new avenues to help close Kyiv's growing funding gap in the long-term. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine three and a half years ago, the EU has channelled nearly €160 billion to Kyiv, according to the Kiel Institute's Ukraine Support Tracker. That includes a €50 billion pot of grants and loans disbursed through 2027, and a $50 billion G7 loan package backed by Russian central bank assets frozen in Belgium. Moscow, meanwhile, has intensified air strikes on Ukrainian cities and ramped up efforts to seize territory. Its defence-industrial base continues to churn out materiel, buoyed by oil revenues and largely undeterred by Western sanctions. This week, Ukraine is seeking new lifelines at a Recovery Conference in Rome. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes to clinch agreements on energy cooperation and attract fresh investment into Ukraine's defence industry, according to people familiar with Kyiv's planning. But Western allies concede their other avenues for support are limited, particularly with US funding unlikely to return to Biden-era levels. Europe is 'assessing and working on different options' to support Ukraine beyond 2025, including a potential €100 billion pot in the next EU budget, Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said this week. But on that, there remains no clear route around the Hungarian veto. A meeting of the coalition of 31 Western countries working towards security guarantees for Ukraine – to be chaired by Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer on Thursday – is also unlikely to yield the meaningful progress that Kyiv needs to try and end the war. The resulting picture, a senior NATO official said, is bleak. 'Ukraine continues to show a lot of innovative spirit,' they said. 'But we are in for a stressful and difficult summer.' Trump's flip-flopping Central to the Rome conference is the question of Ukraine's reconstruction, which the World Bank estimates will cost $524 billion over the next decade, equivalent to nearly three times Ukraine's projected GDP for 2024. Among Kyiv's "innovative" attempts to secure financing is its leveraging of its mineral reserves, with western firms eyeing access in exchange for cash. But persuading investors to move into the Ukrainian market remains tough while the war shows no sign of ending. 'It still seems that the reconstruction community and those working on defence and security remain largely separate worlds, with little interaction despite the obvious interdependence,' said Lesia Ogryzko, visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). The scale of the funding challenge underscores the importance of US support – but recent weeks have seen Donald Trump oscillating even more than usual. Last week, the Pentagon abruptly halted a shipment of weapons to Ukraine – only for Trump to reverse the decision days later, reportedly considering sending additional Patriot missile systems. Then, in an uncharacteristically direct rebuke of the Russian president, Trump said during a cabinet meeting this week that 'we get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin,' and that while he could be 'nice,' his promises were often meaningless. But despite the US flip-flopping, public opinion across Europe remains resolutely in Ukraine's corner. According to recent ECFR polling, majorities or pluralities in eleven of twelve surveyed European countries oppose withdrawing military support, urging Ukraine to cede occupied territories, or lifting sanctions – even if the US were to do so. Support for continued military assistance remains strongest in Denmark (78%), Portugal (74%), the United Kingdom (73%), and Estonia (68%). (om)
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Norway to help Ukraine cover 1 billion euro gas shortfall, Zelensky says
Norway will help Ukraine cover a potential one billion euro ($1.08 billion) gas deficit, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced following a meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Vilnius on June 2. "We discussed issues that are important for Ukraine right now. I received a positive signal from him. This concerns gas: if we face a deficit in winter, can we count on the appropriate volume? Today, I received support from Jonas (Gahr Store)," Zelensky said. Russian forces regularly attack Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leading to power and heat shortages across the country. Russia attacked 34 facilities of Ukrgasvydobuvannya, Ukraine's largest gas producer and part of the state Naftogaz Group, last winter, leading to a loss of almost 50% of gas production, the company reported on April 21. "We agreed that we will look for opportunities to close any deficit, which may arise if everything is not restored (Ukrainian gas production infrastructure affected by Russian attacks), if we cannot fully provide our population with gas," Zelensky noted during an online press conference attended by the Kyiv Independent. "And therefore there is an appropriate volume. We have found half, but we were missing another half. I'll put it this way: we're talking about a volume worth a billion euros — that's what I'm discussing with the Norwegian prime minister." The two leaders have also discussed continued support for Kyiv, including strengthening the country's air defense, encouraging direct investment in Ukraine's defense industry, specifucally the drone production, and increasing pressure on Russia. Norway is ranked 11th in the world in terms of the amount of aid provided to Ukraine, having so far provided over $4.5 billion in humanitarian, financial, and military support, according to the Kiel Institute's Ukraine Support Tracker. On May 20, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway arrived in Ukraine to meet with Zelensky, marking the first visit by a member of the Norwegian royal family during Russia's invasion. Read also: Operation Spiderweb — everything we know about Ukraine's 'audacious' attack on Russia's heavy bombers We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Norway faces pressure to tap its $1.8 trillion sovereign wealth fund to boost aid to Ukraine
Calls are growing for Norway to tap into its sovereign wealth fund to boost funding for Ukraine. The calls come amid souring relations between the US and Ukraine, raising pressure on Europe to step up. Norway has spent less on Ukraine aid than its neighbors. Its SWF is worth $1.8 trillion. Norway is facing growing pressure to tap into its massive sovereign wealth fund to boost aid for Ukraine as concerns grow over continued US support for Ukraine's war efforts. Norway, a founding member of NATO, has a $1.8 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the largest in the world, fueled by oil and gas revenues, as well as investments in stocks, bonds, real estate, and renewable energy. The country caps its annual use at 3% to finance Norway's welfare state and budget. However, amid growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv, Norwegian politicians and economists are pushing to tap the fund to increase support for Ukraine. "Norway is one of the few countries that has large money easily accessible, and we must therefore double our support to Ukraine immediately," Guri Melby, the leader of Norway's Liberal party, said in a Facebook post Saturday. Arild Hermstad, the country's Green Party leader, said that "Norway has a record-high oil fund that we must now actively use to secure peace and democracy in Europe and Ukraine." Norway has spent less on aid to Ukraine than its Scandinavian neighbors, allocating just 0.75% of its GDP, compared to Sweden's 0.91%, Finland's 0.98%, and Denmark's 2.17%, according to the Kiel Institute for World Economy Ukraine Support Tracker. Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said in an X post on Thursday that parliament had agreed to double the country's financial pledge to Ukraine this year, to about $8.1 billion. The Prime Minister's Office didn't reply to a request for comment from Business Insider. But when it comes to the sovereign wealth fund, Norway's finance minister, Jens Stoltenberg, a former NATO Secretary General, warned last month that breaking the 3% cap would be risky and should only be used in times of crisis. Meanwhile, in an op-ed published last weekend, 47 Norwegian economists, analysts, and professors urged the country to use the fund to help Ukraine. "Russia's attack, if not stopped, poses an existential threat to freedom and democracy, not only in Ukraine but throughout Europe, including Norway," they wrote. Knut Anton Mork, a professor emeritus of economics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, told BI it wouldn't be the first time Norway had broken the 3% cap. It exceeded it by 1.2 percentage points in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and by 0.1 percentage points during the 2008 financial crisis, when it was already set at 4%. Even so, Mork said "disregarding the 3% rule would be somewhat unusual, and more so the larger the gift." He predicted that the government would likely stay "within the 3% rule, or maybe slightly above" it. Einar Lie, a professor of economic history at the University of Oslo, who along with Mork signed the op-ed, said breaking the 3% cap to aid a foreign country has never been considered before, but he argued that helping Ukraine to "survive and deter further aggression is vital" for long-term security. "It is definitely more likely to happen as a part of a broad concerted action among European countries and, hopefully, the US," he added. Calls for Norway to step up its spending for Ukraine come amid uncertainty over Washington's commitment to the war-torn country. Last Friday, during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to the White House, President Donald Trump accused Zelenskyy of "disrespecting" the US. Days later, Trump said he was pausing all military aid to Ukraine. One military expert told BI that if US aid does not restart, then Ukrainians could hold out for perhaps two to four months. The situation has raised concerns about how Europe could step in to further help Ukraine's defense. At emergency talks in London on Saturday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said a "massive surge" in defense spending among European allies was in the works. And on Tuesday, the European Union unveiled a plan to boost member states' defense spending amid what von der Leyen referred to as an "era of rearmament." The ReArm Europe plan could unlock about $840 billion in funds. Read the original article on Business Insider
