Latest news with #Western-imposed
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'You Gotta Stop Ukraine First': Russia Vs US Fight Rocks UNSC; Big Clash Between Trump, Putin Aides
/ May 30, 2025, 11:12PM IST Russia warned Germany not to help Ukraine develop its own long-range missile systems, telling the United Nations Security Council that it is thwarting efforts to establish peace. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged Wednesday to help Ukraine develop missile systems that would be free of any Western-imposed limitations on their use and targets. The United States defended Ukraine's right to defend itself from aggression. "Ukraine's fellow UN member states have a right to provide Ukraine with the means to do so," ambassador Chris Lu said. Watch.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Zelenskyy Calls for Increased Pressure on Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for increased international pressure on Russia after a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin where the leaders announced plans for Ukraine and Germany to jointly produce long-range weapons boosting Ukraine's ability to fight. "There is not enough pressure," Zelenskyy told German broadcaster RTL on May 28, criticizing what he sees as insufficient commitment from global powers. "The United States is involved, but not 100 percent. Other countries, like China and those from the Global South, are holding back," he said. Zelenskyy also suggested a lasting peace may only be possible once Russian President Vladimir Putin is no longer in power. "We will have a just peace, but likely only after Putin," he said. Zelenskyy earlier on May 28 accused Russia of stalling diplomatic efforts to achieve a cease-fire. "They (Russians) will constantly look for reasons not to end the war," Zelenskyy said at a joint news conference with Merz, adding "you can see what Putin is doing" and referring to "mass drone attacks every night." The air strikes launched on Kyiv and other cities and regions in recent days "are not the language of peace," said Merz. "They are a slap in the face for everyone who is working for peace, in Ukraine, in Europe, and in the United States," he added. He said Germany would help Ukraine develop its own long-range missile systems that would be free of any Western-imposed limitations on their use and targets. Merz said that under an intensified cooperation agreement, Germany "will strive to equip the Ukrainian Army with all the capabilities that truly enable it to successfully defend the country," including upgraded domestic missile production. "Ukraine will be able to fully defend itself, including against military targets outside its own territory" with its own missiles, Merz said at a joint news conference. Germany is the second-biggest individual supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States. But some of the advanced weapon systems have been subject to range and target restrictions over fears the Kremlin might retaliate against the country that provided the weapons and draw NATO into Europe's biggest conflict since World War II. Later on May 28, Merz told German public broadcaster ZDF that he wouldn't rule it out sending German-made Taurus cruise missiles -- a long-range weapon that Zelenskyy has asked for -- but said it would not help Ukraine now because it would take months for Ukrainian troops to learn to use the system. That's why Germany is improving its military cooperation and support with Ukraine now, he said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the announcement on weapons production cooperation between Germany and Ukraine. Germany is on the same path that it moved down "a couple of times in the last century," leading to its collapse, Lavrov said on Telegram. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul responded by saying that Russia should not be able to dictate whether Ukraine's allies provide help in producing long-range weapons. "The reality is that Russia is not provoking a war but conducting a war day by day without any right and violating international rights, so we are not in a position that Moscow has [to] educate us on international war or what we are allowed to do," Wadephul said in an interview with CNN on May 28. "We stand with Ukraine as long as Ukraine has to defend itself, its territory, its people, and the international law against the Russian aggression," he said, adding that Germany agrees with many of its partners, especially in Eastern Europe, that "we will not have security in Europe with Russia but only against Russia." By RFE/RL More Top Reads From this article on
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Germany's Friedrich Merz offers to help Ukraine develop its own long-range missiles to hit Russia
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged Wednesday to help Ukraine develop its own long-range missile systems that would be free of any Western-imposed limitations on their use and targets as the Kyiv government fights to repel Russia 's of the advanced weapon systems that allies have supplied to Ukraine during the 3-year war were subject to range and target restrictions - a fraught political issue stemming from fears that if the weapons struck deep inside Russia, the Kremlin might retaliate against the country that provided them and draw NATO into Europe's biggest conflict since World War beside visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , Merz said that under an intensified cooperation agreement, Germany "will strive to equip the Ukrainian army with all the capabilities that truly enable it to successfully defend the country," including upgraded domestic missile the United States, Germany has been the biggest individual supplier of military aid to Ukraine."Ukraine will be able to fully defend itself, including against military targets outside its own territory" with its own missiles, Merz said at a joint news after Merz's pledge, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov publicly invited Ukraine to hold direct peace talks with Moscow in Istanbul on June a video statement, he said that Russia would use the meeting to deliver a memorandum setting out Moscow's position on "reliably overcoming the root causes of the crisis." He also said any Russian delegation would again be headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky "We hope that all those who are sincerely interested in the success of the peace process in more than just words will support a new round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul," Lavrov Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said his country isn't opposed to such direct peace talks but it still hasn't seen the memorandum promised by Russia and that further meetings would be "empty" without it."We call on them to fulfill that promise without delay and stop trying to turn the meeting into a destructive one," Umerov wrote on X. He said he had handed such a document with the Ukrainian position to the Russian delegations from Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks in three years in Istanbul on May 16. The talks, which lasted two hours, brought no significant breakthrough, although both sides agreed to the largest prisoner exchange of the war. It was carried out last weekend and freed 1,000 captives on each doesn't mention its Taurus cruise missiles Merz declined to say whether Germany will supply its advanced Taurus long-range cruise missile to Ukraine - long a request by Kyiv and a step that Berlin has decision not to commit to giving Taurus missiles to Ukraine was a "big disappointment," said lawmaker Roderich Kiesewetter , a senior member of Merz's party, the Christian Democratic loves "very strong personal statements" but is not able to back them up with support from his coalition partners, Kiesewetter told The Associated Press."We have a Moscow connection in Germany," Kiesewetter said, suggesting some politicians are in favor of Ukraine ceding territory to Russia to end the war, along with lifting some about Germany's offer to fund long-range missile production in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded that the move was an obstacle to reaching a peace Merz and Zelenskyy criticized the Kremlin's effective rejection of an unconditional ceasefire proposed by the U.S., which Kyiv accepted. Kyiv says Moscow has been slow to respond to proposals for a said last Monday that Germany and other major allies were no longer imposing range limits on weapons they send to Ukraine, although he indicated their use was limited to Russian military targets. Ukraine has launched its own long-range drones against sites that support Russia's military efforts, including refineries and chemical President Joe Biden last year authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied missiles for limited strikes in Russia. The decision allowed Ukraine to use the Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS, against Berlin, Zelenskyy called for deeper defense cooperation across Europe and with Washington, stressing the need for long-range capabilities and sustained military funding to ensure Ukraine's said the cooperation projects already exist. "We simply want (the missiles) to be produced in the quantity we need," Zelenskyy told said Tuesday that Ukraine is ready to hold peace talks at the highest level, including a trilateral meeting with himself, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump."We are ready to meet at the level of leaders. Both the American side knows this, and the Russian side knows this," he said. Zelenskyy said he would accept any configuration of talks, whether that includes one trilateral meeting or separate meetings with the Kremlin spokesman, said Russia is grateful to Trump for his mediation efforts."At the same time, there is a big number of nuances to be discussed that can't be neglected and which neither party is going to sacrifice, because of its national interests," Peskov told reporters. "Just like the United States, Russia has its national interests that are of primary importance to us."Front-line fighting, deep strikes continue Meanwhile, fighting has continued along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where Ukraine's army is shorthanded against its bigger adversary. Zelenskyy claimed Tuesday that Russia is mobilizing up to 45,000 men every month, while Ukraine mobilizes between 25,000-27, sides are continuing to conduct deep strikes. Russia launched its biggest drone attack of the war against Ukraine on air defenses downed 296 Ukrainian drones over 13 Russian regions late Tuesday and early Wednesday, Russia's Defense Ministry said, in what appeared to be one of the biggest Ukrainian drone assaults of the is increasing its domestic production of drones and missiles, according to Zelenskyy. He said late Tuesday that Ukraine wants European countries to help it invest in the manufacture of attack drones, air defense interceptors, cruise missiles and ballistic Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defenses shot down Ukrainian 33 drones heading toward the capital. Moscow regional Gov. Andrei Vorobyov said 42 drones were downed. He said drone fragments damaged three residential buildings in the village of Troitskoye, but no one was than 60 flights were canceled Wednesday in Moscow as the capital's airports were forced to ground planes amid drone warnings, said the federal aviation agency, Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine using five Iskander ballistic missiles, one guided air-launched missile and 88 drones, Ukraine's air force said. Air defense units shot down 34 drones, and 37 drones were jammed.
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Germany's Merz Offers to Help Ukraine Develop Its Own Long-Range Missiles to Hit Russia
The Associated Press Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, right, welcomes Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an official military reception at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged Wednesday to help Ukraine develop its own long-range missile systems that would be free of any Western-imposed limitations on their use and targets as the Kyiv government fights to repel Russia's invasion. Some of the advanced weapon systems that allies have supplied to Ukraine during the 3-year war were subject to range and target restrictions — a fraught political issue stemming from fears that if the weapons struck deep inside Russia, the Kremlin might retaliate against the country that provided them and draw NATO into Europe's biggest conflict since World War II. Standing beside visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Merz said that under an intensified cooperation agreement, Germany 'will strive to equip the Ukrainian army with all the capabilities that truly enable it to successfully defend the country,' including upgraded domestic missile production. After the United States, Germany has been the biggest individual supplier of military aid to Ukraine. 'Ukraine will be able to fully defend itself, including against military targets outside its own territory' with its own missiles, Merz said at a joint news conference. Hours after Merz's pledge, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov publicly invited Ukraine to hold direct peace talks with Moscow in Istanbul on June 2. In a video statement, he said that Russia would use the meeting to deliver a memorandum setting out Moscow's position on 'reliably overcoming the root causes of the crisis.' He also said any Russian delegation would again be headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. 'We hope that all those who are sincerely interested in the success of the peace process in more than just words will support a new round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul,' Lavrov said. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said his country isn't opposed to such direct peace talks but it still hasn't seen the memorandum promised by Russia and that further meetings would be 'empty' without it. 'We call on them to fulfill that promise without delay and stop trying to turn the meeting into a destructive one,' Umerov wrote on X. He said he had handed such a document with the Ukrainian position to the Russian side. Low-level delegations from Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks in three years in Istanbul on May 16. The talks, which lasted two hours, brought no significant breakthrough, although both sides agreed to the largest prisoner exchange of the war. It was carried out last weekend and freed 1,000 captives on each side. Germany doesn't mention its Taurus cruise missiles Merz declined to say whether Germany will supply its advanced Taurus long-range cruise missile to Ukraine — long a request by Kyiv and a step that Berlin has resisted. The decision not to commit to giving Taurus missiles to Ukraine was a 'big disappointment,' said lawmaker Roderich Kiesewetter, a senior member of Merz's party, the Christian Democratic Union. Merz loves 'very strong personal statements' but is not able to back them up with support from his coalition partners, Kiesewetter told The Associated Press. 'We have a Moscow connection in Germany,' Kiesewetter said, suggesting some politicians are in favor of Ukraine ceding territory to Russia to end the war, along with lifting some sanctions. Asked about Germany's offer to fund long-range missile production in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded that the move was an obstacle to reaching a peace agreement. Both Merz and Zelenskyy criticized the Kremlin's effective rejection of an unconditional ceasefire proposed by the U.S., which Kyiv accepted. Kyiv says Moscow has been slow to respond to proposals for a settlement. Merz said last Monday that Germany and other major allies were no longer imposing range limits on weapons they send to Ukraine, although he indicated their use was limited to Russian military targets. Ukraine has launched its own long-range drones against sites that support Russia's military efforts, including refineries and chemical plants. Then-U.S. President Joe Biden last year authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied missiles for limited strikes in Russia. The decision allowed Ukraine to use the Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS, against Russia. In Berlin, Zelenskyy called for deeper defense cooperation across Europe and with Washington, stressing the need for long-range capabilities and sustained military funding to ensure Ukraine's resilience. He said the cooperation projects already exist. 'We simply want (the missiles) to be produced in the quantity we need,' Zelenskyy told reporters. Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Ukraine is ready to hold peace talks at the highest level, including a trilateral meeting with himself, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. 'We are ready to meet at the level of leaders. Both the American side knows this, and the Russian side knows this,' he said. Zelenskyy said he would accept any configuration of talks, whether that includes one trilateral meeting or separate meetings with Trump. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said Russia is grateful to Trump for his mediation efforts. 'At the same time, there is a big number of nuances to be discussed that can't be neglected and which neither party is going to sacrifice, because of its national interests,' Peskov told reporters. 'Just like the United States, Russia has its national interests that are of primary importance to us.' Front-line fighting, deep strikes continue Meanwhile, fighting has continued along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where Ukraine's army is shorthanded against its bigger adversary. Zelenskyy claimed Tuesday that Russia is mobilizing up to 45,000 men every month, while Ukraine mobilizes between 25,000-27,000. Both sides are continuing to conduct deep strikes. Russia launched its biggest drone attack of the war against Ukraine on Sunday. Russian air defenses downed 296 Ukrainian drones over 13 Russian regions late Tuesday and early Wednesday, Russia's Defense Ministry said, in what appeared to be one of the biggest Ukrainian drone assaults of the war. Ukraine is increasing its domestic production of drones and missiles, according to Zelenskyy. He said late Tuesday that Ukraine wants European countries to help it invest in the manufacture of attack drones, air defense interceptors, cruise missiles and ballistic systems. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defenses shot down Ukrainian 33 drones heading toward the capital. Moscow regional Gov. Andrei Vorobyov said 42 drones were downed. He said drone fragments damaged three residential buildings in the village of Troitskoye, but no one was hurt. More than 60 flights were canceled Wednesday in Moscow as the capital's airports were forced to ground planes amid drone warnings, said the federal aviation agency, Rosaviatsiya. Overnight, Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine using five Iskander ballistic missiles, one guided air-launched missile and 88 drones, Ukraine's air force said. Air defense units shot down 34 drones, and 37 drones were jammed.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Germany's Merz offers to help Ukraine develop its own long-range missiles to hit Russia
Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, right, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend a news conference at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany (AP) BERLIN: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged Wednesday to help Ukraine develop its own long-range missile systems that would be free of any Western-imposed limitations on their use and targets as the Kyiv government fights to repel Russia's invasion. Some of the advanced weapon systems that allies have supplied to Ukraine during the 3-year war were subject to range and target restrictions - a fraught political issue stemming from fears that if the weapons struck deep inside Russia, the Kremlin might retaliate against the country that provided them and draw NATO into Europe's biggest conflict since World War II. Standing beside visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Merz said that under an intensified cooperation agreement, Germany "will strive to equip the Ukrainian army with all the capabilities that truly enable it to successfully defend the country," including upgraded domestic missile production. After the United States, Germany has been the biggest individual supplier of military aid to Ukraine. "Ukraine will be able to fully defend itself, including against military targets outside its own territory" with its own missiles, Merz said at a joint news conference. Hours after Merz's pledge, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov publicly invited Ukraine to hold direct peace talks with Moscow in Istanbul on June 2. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo In a video statement, he said that Russia would use the meeting to deliver a memorandum setting out Moscow's position on "reliably overcoming the root causes of the crisis." He also said any Russian delegation would again be headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. "We hope that all those who are sincerely interested in the success of the peace process in more than just words will support a new round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul," Lavrov said. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said his country isn't opposed to such direct peace talks but it still hasn't seen the memorandum promised by Russia and that further meetings would be "empty" without it. "We call on them to fulfill that promise without delay and stop trying to turn the meeting into a destructive one," Umerov wrote on X. He said he had handed such a document with the Ukrainian position to the Russian side. Low-level delegations from Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks in three years in Istanbul on May 16. The talks, which lasted two hours, brought no significant breakthrough, although both sides agreed to the largest prisoner exchange of the war. It was carried out last weekend and freed 1,000 captives on each side. Germany doesn't mention its Taurus cruise missiles Merz declined to say whether Germany will supply its advanced Taurus long-range cruise missile to Ukraine - long a request by Kyiv and a step that Berlin has resisted. The decision not to commit to giving Taurus missiles to Ukraine was a "big disappointment," said lawmaker Roderich Kiesewetter, a senior member of Merz's party, the Christian Democratic Union. Merz loves "very strong personal statements" but is not able to back them up with support from his coalition partners, Kiesewetter told The Associated Press. "We have a Moscow connection in Germany," Kiesewetter said, suggesting some politicians are in favor of Ukraine ceding territory to Russia to end the war, along with lifting some sanctions. Asked about Germany's offer to fund long-range missile production in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded that the move was an obstacle to reaching a peace agreement. Both Merz and Zelenskyy criticized the Kremlin's effective rejection of an unconditional ceasefire proposed by the U.S., which Kyiv accepted. Kyiv says Moscow has been slow to respond to proposals for a settlement. Merz said last Monday that Germany and other major allies were no longer imposing range limits on weapons they send to Ukraine, although he indicated their use was limited to Russian military targets. Ukraine has launched its own long-range drones against sites that support Russia's military efforts, including refineries and chemical plants. Then-U.S. President Joe Biden last year authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied missiles for limited strikes in Russia. The decision allowed Ukraine to use the Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS, against Russia. In Berlin, Zelenskyy called for deeper defense cooperation across Europe and with Washington, stressing the need for long-range capabilities and sustained military funding to ensure Ukraine's resilience. He said the cooperation projects already exist. "We simply want (the missiles) to be produced in the quantity we need," Zelenskyy told reporters. Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Ukraine is ready to hold peace talks at the highest level, including a trilateral meeting with himself, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. "We are ready to meet at the level of leaders. Both the American side knows this, and the Russian side knows this," he said. Zelenskyy said he would accept any configuration of talks, whether that includes one trilateral meeting or separate meetings with Trump. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said Russia is grateful to Trump for his mediation efforts. "At the same time, there is a big number of nuances to be discussed that can't be neglected and which neither party is going to sacrifice, because of its national interests," Peskov told reporters. "Just like the United States, Russia has its national interests that are of primary importance to us." Front-line fighting, deep strikes continue Meanwhile, fighting has continued along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where Ukraine's army is shorthanded against its bigger adversary. Zelenskyy claimed Tuesday that Russia is mobilizing up to 45,000 men every month, while Ukraine mobilizes between 25,000-27,000. Both sides are continuing to conduct deep strikes. Russia launched its biggest drone attack of the war against Ukraine on Sunday. Russian air defenses downed 296 Ukrainian drones over 13 Russian regions late Tuesday and early Wednesday, Russia's Defense Ministry said, in what appeared to be one of the biggest Ukrainian drone assaults of the war. Ukraine is increasing its domestic production of drones and missiles, according to Zelenskyy. He said late Tuesday that Ukraine wants European countries to help it invest in the manufacture of attack drones, air defense interceptors, cruise missiles and ballistic systems. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defenses shot down Ukrainian 33 drones heading toward the capital. Moscow regional Gov. Andrei Vorobyov said 42 drones were downed. He said drone fragments damaged three residential buildings in the village of Troitskoye, but no one was hurt. More than 60 flights were canceled Wednesday in Moscow as the capital's airports were forced to ground planes amid drone warnings, said the federal aviation agency, Rosaviatsiya. Overnight, Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine using five Iskander ballistic missiles, one guided air-launched missile and 88 drones, Ukraine's air force said. Air defense units shot down 34 drones, and 37 drones were jammed.
