US continues arms deliveries to Ukraine - for how long?
According to the Ukrainian government, in June alone, Russia sent over 330 missiles, 5,000 combat drones and 5,000 gliding bombs against mostly civilian targets.
Trump seems to be increasingly fed up with Moscow, announcing more arms deliveries to Kyiv only days after pausing weapons shipments. 'Ukraine has to defend itself' is Trump's latest mantra.
The surprise move came after a phone call Trump had with Volodymyr Zelenskyy which the Ukrainian president described as a 'fruitful conversation'. For now, the arming of Ukraine seems to be safe. Will this impress Putin?
Can Europe step up and replace US weapons in case Trump changes his mind again?
So, serious questions for this week's panel: Tinatin Akhvlediani, research fellow in the EU Foreign Policy Unit at the Centre for European Policy Studies, Ania Skrzypek, research director at the Foundation for European Progressive Studies and Michelle Haas, researcher at the Ghent Institute for International and European Studies and an associate fellow at the Egmont Institute.
Second topic: At their first bilateral summit, EU candidate Moldova pushed Brussels for accelerated accession. Because of repeated hybrid attacks from Russia, Moldova wants to join the 27 as soon as possible and is now eager to align with EU standards as grounds for decoupling its enlargement track from Ukraine's.
For now, Brussels appears unwilling to do that. But if Moldova can continue to demonstrate tangible reform, economic resilience, can the case for accelerated accession be ignored? Is the EU sending the right signal to countries threatened by Russia?
And finally, the panel discussed the role of women in the military.
All across Europe, conscription debates are heating up — and this time, women are part of the equation. Faced with rising security threats and stretched military resources, several countries are reconsidering long-held traditions.
The idea of drafting women is gaining traction. On the first day of its EU presidency, Denmark just did it as the last Scandinavian country.
But expanding conscription also raises big questions about defence budgets — can Europe afford a larger, more inclusive force, or will it strain already tight military spending? Should financial considerations even play a role here?
Is a mandatory female contribution to the military the ultimate achievement of gender equality? What about the argument, joining the military should be a personal choice?
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
Gaza ceasefire talks held up by Israel withdrawal plans: Palestinian sources
Delegations from both sides began discussions in Qatar last Sunday to try to agree on a temporary halt to the 21-month conflict sparked by Hamas's deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Both Hamas and Israel have said that 10 living hostages who were taken that day and are still in captivity would be released if an agreement for a 60-day ceasefire were reached. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that he hoped to clinch a deal "in a few days", which could then lead to talks for a more permanent end to hostilities. But one Palestinian source, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the talks, said Israel's refusal to accept Hamas's demand to withdraw all of its troops from Gaza was holding back progress. Another said mediators had asked both sides to postpone the talks until the arrival of US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Doha. "The negotiations in Doha are facing a setback and complex difficulties due to Israel's insistence, as of Friday, on presenting a map of withdrawal, which is actually a map of redeployment and repositioning of the Israeli army rather than a genuine withdrawal," one Palestinian source said. The source said Israel was proposing to maintain military forces in more than 40 percent of the Palestinian territory, forcing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians into a small area near the city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, they added. "Hamas's delegation will not accept the Israeli maps... as they essentially legitimise the reoccupation of approximately half of the Gaza Strip and turn Gaza into isolated zones with no crossings or freedom of movement," the source said. A second Palestinian source accused the Israeli delegation of having no authority, and "stalling and obstructing the agreement in order to continue the war of extermination". Latest strikes The Gaza war began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Of the 251 hostages seized, 49 are still being held, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. At least 57,823 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, have been killed since the start of the war, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. Gaza's civil defence agency said at least 14 Palestinians were killed in the latest wave of Israeli strikes across the territory on Saturday. More than 30 people were killed on Friday, including 10 people who were waiting for aid handouts, the agency said. The Israeli military on Saturday said it had attacked "approximately 250 terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip" in the last 48 hours. Targets included "terrorists, booby-trapped structures, weapons storage facilities, anti-tank missile launch posts, sniper posts, tunnels and additional terrorist infrastructure sites", it added. Two previous ceasefires -- a week-long truce beginning in late November 2023 and a two-month one from mid-January this year -- led to the release of 105 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The second Palestinian source said "some progress" had been made in the latest talks on plans for releasing Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and getting more aid to Gaza. Netanyahu, who is under domestic and international pressure to end the war, said this week that neutralising Hamas as a security threat was a prerequisite for any long-term ceasefire talks. That included the group giving up weapons, he said, warning that failure to do so would mean Israel would have to do so by force.
Euronews
3 hours ago
- Euronews
Russia launched 26 missiles and 597 drones at Ukraine, Zelenskyy said
Russia launched 26 missiles and 597 drones at Ukraine overnight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X. "Russia's strikes extended from the Kharkiv and Sumy regions to the Lviv region and Bukovyna," Zelenskyy reported. The western regions of the country were hit hardest, with Lviv, Lutsk, and Chernivtsi bearing the brunt of the attacks, according to Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha. According to Ukraine's Air Force, 319 drones and 25 missiles were shot down. Another 258 decoy drones were lost, local media reported. At least two people were killed by fallen debris in Chernivtsi, and at least 14 others were injured, including four who are in critical condition. The attack sparked fires across the city, and damaged several administrative and residential buildings. Meanwhile, Lviv experienced its most severe strike since the beginning of Russia's invasion, the city's mayor Andriy Sadovyi said. Several buildings, including residential units, cars and a kindergarten were damaged. He added that one man was hospitalised and several people required medical treatment, including an 11-year-old boy. The latest attack comes as Russia has significantly intensified its all-out war on Ukraine, launching a record number of drones and missiles in recent weeks. Zelenskyy reminded the "war can only be stopped through strength" and urged Western allies to impose additional sanctions. "The pace of Russia's aerial strikes demands swift decisions – and it can be curbed through sanctions right now," he said. "More air defense systems are needed, along with investments in interceptor drones, which are already delivering good results." It comes as European leaders announced a new equity fund and public-private partnerships in a push for investment in rebuilding Ukraine at the annual recovery conference on Ukraine on Thursday.
France 24
3 hours ago
- France 24
France's Carnac stones vie for UNESCO world heritage list spot
01:16 10/07/2025 As Marseille reels from early summer wildfire, France rolls back environmental protections Europe 09/07/2025 Paris' red-light district Pigalle turned into hipster heaven France 09/07/2025 French police raid far-right party HQ over campaign financing France 09/07/2025 'Worrying': Single EU member states make asylum agreements with other countries Europe 09/07/2025 EU probes far-right political group over alleged misuse of funds France 08/07/2025 France wildfire shuts down Marseille airport France 08/07/2025 UK-France: The tide of realpolitik rises as the sea of rhetoric fades on both sides of the Channel UK 08/07/2025 Why are French police struggling to curb migrant Channel crossings? France 08/07/2025 'Restatement of that historic commitment: Renegotiate important Franco-British bilateral agreements' UK
