
Ukraine's allies stand at ‘moment of maximum opportunity'
The US president has threatened to impose 'very severe' tariffs on Russia if it does not agree a ceasefire by September 2, 50 days on from his announcement that he would sell 'top-of-the-line' weapons to Nato that could then be given to Ukraine.
Speaking at the 29th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG), Mr Healey told allies gathered from 52 nations: 'This is a moment of maximum opportunity.
'Last week, President Trump announced a new plan for large scale Nato weapons transfers, and committed to getting these, he said, quickly distributed to the battlefield.
'The UK backs this policy. We will play our full part in its success.'
Mr Healey added: 'Alongside this new agreement to ensure that Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself, President Trump also started the clock on a 50-day deadline for Putin to agree to peace or to face crippling economic sanctions.
'And as members of this UDCG, we need to step up, in turn, a 50-day drive to arm Ukraine on the battlefield and to help push Putin to the negotiating table.'
The UK Defence Secretary chaired the meeting for the fourth time, also his third time co-chairing with German defence minister Boris Pistorius.
The group, which brings together defence ministers and officials from Ukraine's allies, was chaired by the US until Mr Trump came to power and began rowing back on American support for Kyiv and European security.
As the UK and Germany led calls for European allies to step up their support for Kyiv, Mr Healey said the two countries have 'agreed to partner in providing critical air defence missiles to Ukraine'.
His German counterpart Mr Pistorius, meanwhile, said the pair were involved in an initiative to replenish ammunition for anti-aircraft guns.
'We will, together with our British friends, provide 220,000 rounds of 35 millimetre ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft gun system at short notice, financed by Germany,' the German defence minister said.
The drive to step up support for Ukraine comes after the UK revealed it has spent some £150 million on air defence and artillery for the war-torn nation over the past two months.
At least £700 million will be spent on similar support over the course of the year, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Elsewhere on Monday, the Foreign Office announced 137 fresh sanctions on Russian entities, targeting the oil and gas sector.
The new sanctions target 135 oil tankers involved in Mr Putin's 'shadow fleet' operation, responsible for illicitly carrying cargo since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 'New sanctions will further dismantle Putin's shadow fleet and drain Russia's war chest of its critical oil revenues.
'As Putin continues to stall and delay on serious peace talks, we will not stand idly by. We will continue to use the full might of our sanctions regime to ratchet up economic pressure at every turn and stand side by side with Ukraine.'
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North Wales Chronicle
18 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Europeans and Iran meet in Istanbul as sanctions loom over nuclear deadlock
Representatives from the UK, France and Germany, known as the E3 nations, gathered at the Iranian consulate for the first talks since Iran's 12-day war with Israel in June, which involved US bombers striking nuclear-related facilities. The talks, which ended after four hours, centred on the possibility of reimposing sanctions on Iran, that were lifted in 2015 in exchange for Iran accepting restrictions and monitoring of its nuclear programme. The return of sanctions, known as a 'snapback' mechanism, 'remains on the table', according to a European diplomat. 'A possible delay in triggering snapback has been floated to the Iranians on the condition that there is credible diplomatic engagement by Iran, that they resume full cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), and that they address concerns about their highly-enriched uranium stockpile,' the diplomat said. European leaders have said sanctions will resume by the end of August if there is no progress on containing Iran's nuclear programme. Tehran, meanwhile, has said the US, which withdrew from the 2015 deal during President Donald Trump 's first term, needs to rebuild faith in its role in negotiations. Deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran's engagement was dependent on 'several key principles' that included 'rebuilding Iran's trust – as Iran has absolutely no trust in the United States'. In a social media post on Thursday, he also said the talks should not be used 'as a platform for hidden agendas such as military action'. He said Iran's right to enrich uranium 'in line with its legitimate needs' should be respected and sanctions removed. Iran has repeatedly threatened to leave the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which commits it to refrain from developing nuclear weapons, if sanctions return. Mr Gharibabadi described Friday's talks as 'serious, frank and detailed'. On X, he said the two sides discussed lifting sanctions and the snapback mechanism while agreeing to further talks. 'Both sides came to the meeting with specific ideas,' he said. 'It was agreed that consultations on this matter will continue.' Friday's talks were held at the deputy ministerial level, with Iran sending Mr Gharibabadi and a fellow deputy foreign minister, Majid Takht-e Ravanchi. A similar meeting was held in Istanbul in May. The UK, France and Germany were signatories to the 2015 deal, alongside the US, Russia and China. When the US withdrew in 2018, Mr Trump said the agreement was not tough enough. Under the original deal, neither Russia nor China can veto reimposed sanctions. Since the Israeli and US strikes on Iran, in which American B-52 bombers hit three nuclear sites, Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the E3 of hypocrisy, saying they failed to uphold their obligations while supporting Israel's attacks. Against the backdrop of the conflict, during which Iran responded with missile attacks on Israel and a strike on a US base in Qatar, the road ahead remains uncertain. While European officials have said they want to avoid further conflict and are open to a negotiated solution, they have warned that time is running out. Tehran maintains it is open to diplomacy, though it recently suspended cooperation with the IAEA. A central concern for western powers was highlighted when the IAEA reported in May that Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% – just below weapons-grade level – had grown to more than 400kg.


STV News
an hour ago
- STV News
Riverdance star Michael Flatley to run for Irish presidency
Riverdance star Michael Flatley is to seek a nomination to become Ireland's next president, a court has heard. The dancer and choreographer will move back to Ireland in the next two weeks and 'intends to seek nominations to run for president of Ireland,' his lawyer has announced. Barrister Ronnie Hudson made the announcement during a High Court case he has taken in relation to works carried out at his mansion in Co Cork, the Castlehyde. An affidavit, signed by Flatley's solicitor Maxwell Mooney, was submitted to the court stating that the Irish-American is 'to seek nominations to run for president of Ireland'. Lord Of The Dance star Flatley, who is eligible to run as an Irish citizen, had strongly hinted at a presidential bid last week, but said he had not made a final decision. Michael Flatley performing at Madison Square Garden in New York in 2005 / Credit: AP He said during a radio interview that he did not believe the Irish people 'have a voice – not a true proper deep voice that speaks their language'. Flatley said he hears concerns from the 'average person on the street' and they are not 'happy right now'. 'Somebody has to speak for the Irish people,' he said. He was in Ireland earlier this month where he performed on a flute at a July 4 celebration hosted at the residence of the US Ambassador to Ireland, Edward Walsh, who was recently appointed to the role by Donald Trump. An election for the largely ceremonial president role is expected towards the end of October, as it must take place in the 60 days before outgoing President Michael D Higgins's term ends on November 11. To be eligible to run, a candidate must be an Irish citizen who is 35 or older, and must be nominated either by at least 20 members of the Irish parliament or at least four local authorities. So far, two candidates have secured sufficient backing to enter the race former farming journalist and EU commissioner Mairead McGuinness, former Galway mayor Catherine Connolly. Several other figures have hinted at their intention to run, including MMA fighter Conor McGregor, who has criticised the Irish Government's policies on immigration and public safety. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country


JAMnews
an hour ago
- JAMnews
Armenia will serve as an alternative route
Armenia will serve as an alternative route 'In the context of unblocking regional transport links, we are seeing political demands and threats of force from Azerbaijan. Under such conditions, economic projects cannot have a long-term character,' this is the view expressed by economist Suren Parsyan regarding ongoing negotiations on the matter. He believes Armenia urgently needs alternative routes and must be brought out of its blockade. According to Parsyan, current developments represent an attempt by Baku to establish political control over Armenia, wrapped in an economic guise. 'The argument that such projects might help win over Azerbaijan or move relations towards a more constructive level is weak. The opposite will happen: Azerbaijan will try to corner Armenia even further by using these projects,' Parsyan said in an interview with a local television channel. The economist calls for a sober assessment of the project — analysing both its strengths and weaknesses, as well as associated risks and opportunities. Azerbaijan is demanding an extraterritorial corridor through Armenia, referring to it as the 'Zangezur Corridor'. Baku insists on unobstructed transit between mainland Azerbaijan and its exclave, Nakhichevan. For several years, Yerevan has responded that it is willing to provide a road, but only under four conditions: sovereignty, jurisdiction, territorial integrity, and reciprocity. Recently, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that Yerevan and Baku had received a proposal from Washington regarding the unblocking of regional communications. The proposal reportedly involves control over the road being exercised by an American or joint Armenian-American body. The specific functions of this body have not yet been made public. According to Pashinyan, interest in outsourcing control of Armenian roads has been expressed not only by the United States but also by the European Union, with China also showing investment interest. Below are the key points from economist Suren Parsyan's interview. In Armenia, the focus is not on economic benefit, but on preventing aggression 'The current Armenian authorities are attempting to ensure a certain level of security through economic projects. Their logic is as follows: if we attract an American investor to the region, it could help deter Azerbaijani aggression against Syunik.' Syunik is Armenia's southern province, which borders Azerbaijan. It is through this region, specifically the Meghri community, that the proposed road connecting Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan is expected to pass. 'In Armenia, the focus is not on investment or economic gain, but on preventing possible aggression. It is clear that by involving an American or Armenian-American organisation, the authorities are not seeking to resolve economic issues — they are addressing a security concern.' Why US is interested in a presence on the unblocked route 'U.S. policy in our region is aimed primarily at reducing the influence of Russia and Iran. American involvement should be viewed through this lens. First and foremost, they are attempting to weaken Russia's role in regional transit corridors. Another factor is China. The Chinese Belt and Road Initiative is viewed as a strategic challenge by the United States. By securing influence over this route, the U.S. is seeking to assert some degree of control. Since the outbreak of the Russia–Ukraine conflict, Belt and Road projects across Russian territory have been frozen — leaving the 'Middle Corridor' as the remaining option. If the United States succeeds in gaining oversight of China's 'Middle Corridor', it will be in a position to exert influence over China's economic growth and infrastructure initiatives. China views the route through Meghri as a viable alternative, so the U.S. interest in controlling this overland [unblocked] route is far from coincidental.' The US proposal introduces 'new rules of the game' 'The American proposal on unblocking the region fits into the logic of the MAGA [Make America Great Again] movement. The idea is that the US should have economic interests everywhere — investing and profiting globally. Washington is attempting to reframe its foreign policy in terms of economic projects, to revitalise its external engagement while simultaneously reaping certain economic dividends.' All regional players — Iran, Russia, and Turkey — are interested in unblocking transport links, but on the condition that the routes are under their own control. And now a third party — the United States — enters the picture, not as a regional actor, and declares: 'I'm part of the project too.' 'This introduces new rules of the game in the region. We must understand how realistic the implementation of the American proposal is given the presence of such actors.' 'If we try to tie the functioning of the road to just one country, others will undermine the project. If the route is controlled solely by an American company, it will become a target for both Iran and Russia. We must try to find a format in which they do not see the project as a threat to their national security. We need to strike a balance.' Transit to Europe via Georgia remains more profitable 'If the region is unblocked, the route through Armenia will become an alternative, not the main one. Any overland transport is more expensive than maritime transport. Maritime transit to Europe via Georgia is the shortest and least costly option. In this regard, Georgia holds a competitive advantage, and it already has a developed infrastructure.' 'Had this situation arisen in the mid-1990s, when there were no pipelines or railways, Armenia might have played a more significant role. But now that infrastructure is in place, we must accept that Armenia will be seen as an alternative, not a primary, route. The Georgian corridor will remain the main one, and only in case of problems there will cargo flows be diverted to the Armenian route.' 'The primary player in East–West freight transport will be China, through its Belt and Road Initiative and various infrastructure projects. I find it unlikely that Chinese companies or officials will transport cargo via an 'American corridor', given the strategic rivalry between China and the United States. Those same Chinese companies have already invested billions in Georgia. China views Georgia as its 'corridor country'. Beijing's objective is to deliver goods to a Georgian port and then transport them by sea to Europe. Routing goods through southern Armenia and then across Turkey would be more expensive.' 'As for Central Asian states, their use of the unblocked Armenian route will depend on their export destinations. If they are aiming to ship goods to Europe, the shortest path is still through Georgia — to a Georgian port and then on to European markets.' Armenia's presence as an alternative could strengthen Ankara and Baku's hand in talks with Tbilisi 'We often hear complaints that the Georgian side creates obstacles for our freight transport. In reality, Azerbaijani and Turkish companies face similar issues in Georgia. The country frequently reviews and increases transit tariffs. At present, Georgia sets the terms, knowing that Turkey and Azerbaijan have no alternative routes. But if Armenia emerges as an alternative corridor, it could strengthen the negotiating positions of Turkey and Azerbaijan. They would then be in a better position to demand more favourable transit terms, and so forth.' Ankara's goals are also more political than economic 'Among these goals are establishing a degree of political control over Armenia and weakening Iran's influence in Nakhichevan. Moreover, the launch of the road would allow Turkey to partially control Iranian freight transport along the North–South transport corridor. Yes, if the route through southern Armenia is unblocked, Tehran will lose its leverage over Nakhichevan. However, the financial losses in reality would be rather limited. The Iranian side reacts sensitively to the idea of an extraterritorial road, as Armenia is viewed as an alternative route to the north. Whenever Iran faces difficulties with Turkey and Azerbaijan, Armenia has always been a fallback option.' Follow us – Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Armenia will serve as an alternative route