UK calls for 50-day drive to arm Ukraine
Earlier this month, Trump gave Russian President Vladimir Putin 50 days to strike a peace deal with Kyiv in the three-year war or face sanctions.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey told a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) that Kyiv's backers stand at a moment of "maximum opportunity".
"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," Healey told the virtual meeting of 52 nations.
Trump also pledged to supply Kyiv with new military aid, sponsored by NATO allies, as its cities suffer ever-increasing Russian aerial attacks since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Healey, chairing the meeting alongside German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, said the UK "backs this policy".
"We will play our full part in its success," he added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
15 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Understanding Russia's Taliban gauntlet
On July 3, 2025, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced the recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) government, representing the culmination of Russia's recent overtures toward the Taliban. This followed the decision to upgrade diplomatic ties and officially accredit the Taliban's new ambassador, Gul Hassan, to Moscow. Now that the IEA flag is flying over the Afghan Embassy in Moscow, questions remain about the rationale behind Russia's choice to legitimise the Taliban regime. A change, two decades later Moscow's eagerness to cultivate diplomatic relations with the Taliban government stands in stark contrast to Russia's approach to the IEA's first iteration from 1996 to 2001. At that time, the Taliban were seen as hostile towards Russia. Moscow did not acknowledge their government and was forced to wind down its diplomatic presence in Afghanistan in 1997. Further, Russia provided military assistance to the Northern Alliance and helped its Central Asian allies stabilise the situation along the Afghan border against the terrorist threat. Complicating matters further, the Taliban, in 2000, recognised the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as an independent state and urged the Muslim world to declare a holy war on Russia to force it to stop its counter-terrorist operation in Chechnya. With an estimated 2,500 Chechen militants undergoing training in Taliban-controlled territories, Moscow considered launching 'preventive strikes' on terrorist camps in Afghanistan. In this context, it was unsurprising that Russia joined forces with the United States to adopt the United Nations' sanctions against the Taliban and provided logistical support to the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom, which was launched after 9/11. In 2003, the Taliban were included in the Russian list of terrorist organisations. As the international counter-terrorism mission in Afghanistan reached an impasse and the U.S. began to consider withdrawal, Moscow established unofficial contacts with the Taliban through its closer engagement with Pakistan in the early 2010s. This enabled Russia to protect its security interests in Afghanistan (with a focus on ensuring the safety of Russian citizens), collaborating against the Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K) and combating drug trafficking. Additionally, in a balance act between the Afghan government and the Taliban, Russia stepped up its diplomatic efforts to position itself as a venue for resolving the Afghan crisis. Despite being blacklisted by the UN and outlawed in Russia, the Taliban representatives were invited to participate in the Moscow Format and intra-Afghan conferences, as Russia attempted to increase its own regional influence and edge the U.S. out from Afghanistan. With the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021, even as many other countries evacuated diplomatic personnel amid the lingering turmoil, the Russian Embassy in Kabul remained in operation — Moscow remained confident that the Taliban are capable of putting things in good order. Despite Russia's good rapport with the Taliban's dispensation, the persistent instability in Afghanistan has severely compromised its security interests, with terrorist attacks against the Russian Embassy in Kabul in September 2022 and the Crocus City Hall in Moscow in March 2024, purportedly carried out by the IS-K. There has been no meaningful progress in the economic projects either, though the Russian authorities continue to harbour hopes that Afghanistan will emerge as a conduit for Russian exports to South and Southeast Asia. The basis Russia's official recognition of the IEA government reflects Moscow's conviction that the Taliban are 'an objective reality' and the only political force capable of controlling power in Afghanistan. This is further reinforced by the perception of the Taliban as Russia's 'allies in countering terrorism', which seemingly laid the foundation for their de-listing in April 2025. It should be noted though that the Russian Supreme Court only suspended the ban on the Taliban activities, and the grouping is still on the Russian unified federal list of terrorist organisations. This suggests that the Russian security apparatus is not fully convinced by the Taliban's track record in combating terrorism, leaving scope to reverse the decision if the alliance with the Taliban proves to be a false dawn. The IEA's recognition is a symbolic gesture that does not bring Russia any immediate benefits and does not guarantee any upgrade to Moscow's position in Afghanistan or the wider region. While some Russian officials are insisting on supporting the Taliban, including 'arming them', it remains to be seen how far Moscow is willing to go and whether the joint fight against the IS-K will yield tangible results. As Russia has set a precedent by recognising the IEA, some Central Asian states and even China may well follow suit, especially given that the Taliban's expectations of their partners will certainly increase. Moscow's free pass to the Taliban regarding the inclusivity of their government, as well as women's and minority rights, may become a new template for other regional players who will prioritise pragmatism over value-based approach. Ties with India India will unlikely be seriously affected by the Russian move. New Delhi has fostered its own incremental improvement in diplomatic ties with the Taliban, having recently found common ground with them on the issue of terrorism in Kashmir. It is likely that New Delhi will keep up diplomatic communications, trade and humanitarian cooperation with the IEA, without deviating from its stance on the legitimacy issue. Engagement without formal recognition still seems to be the likely trajectory of India's Afghanistan policy. Harsh V. Pant is Vice President, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi. Aleksei Zakharov is Fellow, Eurasia, Observer Research Foundation
Hindustan Times
42 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
America's new plan to defeat China in the AI race Xi Jinping
America's new plan to defeat China in the AI race | Trump | Xi Jinping
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
44 minutes ago
- First Post
Russia launches monthly direct flights to North Korea amid growing ties
Russia has launched direct commercial flights to North Korea, signalling a further strengthening of relations between Moscow and Pyongyang. The first Moscow-Pyongyang service, operated by Nordwind Airlines, departed Sheremetyevo airport on Sunday and is expected to run once a month initially. read more People wait outside Terminal C at the Sheremetyevo international airport outside Moscow, Russia. File image/ Reuters Russia inaugurated direct commercial flights to North Korea on Sunday, signalling deeper links with its Asian ally that will aid its push in Ukraine. According to the Sheremetyevo airport's website, the first Moscow-Pyongyang flight operated by Russia's Nordwind Airlines took off at 16:25 GMT. It is slated to arrive in the North Korean capital around eight hours later. However, Russia's transport ministry stated that the route will only be serviced once a month at first. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Tickets for Nordwind Airlines, which used to transport Russians to European vacation spots prior to the EU banning Russian flights, cost 45,000 rubles ($570). 'This is a historical event, strengthening the ties between our nations,' Oleg, a Nordwind employee managing the flight who did not want to give his full name, told AFP at the airport. More from World Ukrainian drone strikes force Kremlin to scale down Navy Day celebrations He also declined to say how many passengers were on board. 'For the first time in more than 70 years of diplomatic relations, we are launching direct flights between the capitals of our countries,' Russia's deputy transport minister Vladimir Poteshkin was quoted as saying by the ministry's Telegram account. Russia's state news agency TASS reported that the first return flight from Pyongyang to Moscow would take place on Tuesday. Russia and North Korea restored train links on June 17 after suspending them in 2020 during the Covid pandemic. The two countries have been forging closer military bonds in recent years, with Pyongyang supplying troops and weapons for Russia's military operations in Ukraine. They signed a mutual defence pact last year, when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea. North Korea confirmed for the first time in April that it had deployed a contingent of its soldiers to the frontline in Ukraine, alongside Russian troops.
