Latest news with #DefenceDepartment
CBC
12 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
Ukraine disappointed with U.S. decision to halt some weapons deliveries
Social Sharing Ukraine is forging ahead with plans for joint weapons production with some of its international allies, top officials said, while the U.S. announced it was halting some arms shipments promised to help Ukraine fight off Russia. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that officials are preparing with a sense of urgency for upcoming meetings with European Union countries and other partners to talk about co-operation in weapons manufacturing. "One of the key topics will be weapons production — our joint investments, joint projects," Zelenskyy said in his daily address on Tuesday evening. U.S. officials said Tuesday that the White House was halting some weapons deliveries to Ukraine out of concern that its own stockpiles have declined too far. Certain munitions were longer-term commitments promised to Ukraine under the Joe Biden administration. The U.S. Defence Department didn't provide details on what specific weapons were being held back. "This decision was made to put America's interests first following a review of our nation's military support and assistance to other countries across the globe," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement. Elbridge Colby, the Defence Department undersecretary for policy, said officials continue "to provide the president with robust options to continue military aid to Ukraine, consistent with his goal of bringing this tragic war to an end." Ukraine's Foreign Ministry summoned the U.S. charge d'affaires, John Hinkel, on Wednesday to discuss ongoing defence co-operation. Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of the Ukrainian parliament's national security and defence committee, called the decision disappointing. "It's painful, and against the background of the terrorist attacks which Russia commits against Ukraine, it's a very unpleasant situation," Venislavskyi told reporters. Deputy Foreign Minister Maryana Betsa thanked the U.S. for its continued support, but emphasized the "critical importance" of maintaining previously allocated defence packages, especially for bolstering Ukraine's air defence. Democrats criticize 'mixed messaging' on war The United States has been Ukraine's biggest military backer since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbour on Feb. 24, 2022. But under President Donald Trump, there have been no new announcements of U.S. military or weapons aid to Ukraine. Between March and April, the U.S. allocated no new aid to Ukraine, according to Germany's Kiel Institute, which tracks such support. Since Trump took office in January, he has softened Washington's position toward Russia, seeking a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine and raising doubts about future U.S. military support for Kyiv's war effort. WATCH l Will Trump have the patience to see ceasefire through?: Will Trump turn his back on the Russia-Ukraine war? | About That 1 month ago Duration 11:49 However, last week Trump said he was considering selling more Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine following a meeting with Zelenskyy. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the foreign relations committee, said in a statement that the Trump's administration's "mixed messaging is undermining its own agenda to bring Putin to the negotiating table." "The Pentagon is significantly weakening Ukraine's defence against aerial attacks even as Russia pounds Ukrainian cities night after night, with numerous civilians dead and wounded," said Shaheen, who represents New Hampshire. "President Trump pledged just last week to look for additional air defence systems for Ukraine, but [Defence Secretary Pete] Hegseth and Under Secretary Colby seem to be ignoring him. If there is a real concern over stockpiles, the administration should consult with the relevant committee in advance." Washington's latest decision could remove some of the most formidable weapons in Ukraine's battlefield arsenal, at what appears to be a key point in the all-out war launched by Moscow nearly 3 ½ years ago. A renewed Russian push to capture more Ukrainian land has put Ukraine's short-handed defences under severe strain, and Russian missiles and drones are battering Ukrainian cities. U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to find a peace settlement, meanwhile, have stalled. It's not clear how much weaponry Ukraine possesses or what its most urgent needs are. European allies asked to step up As Washington has distanced itself, a bigger onus has fallen on European countries to pressure Russia. For the first time since June 2022, European countries surpassed the U.S. in total military aid, totalling 72 billion euros ($85 billion US) compared with 65 billion euros ($77 billion) from the U.S., the institute said last month. Analysts say Ukraine's European allies can fill some of the gaps and provide artillery systems. But they don't possess alternatives to the U.S.-made HIMARS missiles and air defence systems, especially Patriots, which are crucial to help defend Ukrainian cities from Russian air attacks. Earlier this week, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said during a visit to Kyiv that Germany aims to help Ukraine manufacture more weapons more quickly. He was accompanied on the trip by German defence industry representatives. Ukraine Defence Minister Rustem Umerov announced that draft legislation on joint weapons production with international allies is expected to be put to a vote in the Ukrainian parliament later this month. The proposed laws were shown to national defence companies on Tuesday, Umerov said. The war's largest battle is being waged in Donetsk as Russia inches toward its stated goal of capturing all of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Unable to tackle the strategically significant logistical hub of Pokrovsk directly, Russian forces are attempting to encircle the city.
NDTV
14 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
US Halts Shipment Of Weapons Pledged To Ukraine
The US is halting some shipments of weapons to Ukraine amid concerns that its own stockpiles have declined too much, officials said Tuesday, a setback for the country as it tries to fend off escalating attacks from Russia. Certain munitions were previously promised to Ukraine under the Biden administration to aid its defences during the more than three-year-old war. The pause reflects a new set of priorities under President Donald Trump and came after Defence Department officials scrutinized current US stockpiles and raised concerns. "This decision was made to put America's interests first following a review of our nation's military support and assistance to other countries across the globe," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement. "The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned - just ask Iran." That was a reference to Trump recently ordering US missile strikes against nuclear sites in Iran. Pentagon stocks of some weapons found to be low, official says The Pentagon review determined that stocks were too low on some weapons previously pledged, so pending shipments of some items won't be sent, according to a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide information that has not yet been made public. The Defence Department did not provide details on what specific weapons were being held back. "America's military has never been more ready and more capable," spokesman Sean Parnell said, adding that the major tax cut and spending package moving through Congress "ensures that our weapons and defense systems are modernized to protect against 21st century threats for generations to come." The halt of some weapons from the US is a blow to Ukraine as Russia has recently launched some of its biggest aerial attacks of the war, in an escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in peace efforts championed by Trump. Talks between the sides have ground to a halt. The US stoppage was first reported by Politico. To date, the US has provided Ukraine more than $66 billion worth of weapons and military assistance since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022. Over the course of the war, the US has routinely pressed for allies to provide air defene systems to Ukraine. But many are reluctant to give up the high-tech systems, particularly countries in Eastern Europe that also feel threatened by Russia. Trump met with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit last week and had left open the possibility of sending Kyiv more US-made Patriot air defense missile systems, acknowledging they would help the Ukrainian cause. "They do want to have the antimissile missiles, OK, as they call them, the Patriots," Trump said then. "And we're going to see if we can make some available. We need them, too. We're supplying them to Israel, and they're very effective, 100% effective. Hard to believe how effective. They do want that more than any other thing." Trump administration shifts outlook on Ukraine military aid Those comments reflect a change of thinking about providing weapons to Ukraine across the administration in recent months. In testimony before lawmakers in June, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said he has moved quickly to quash wasteful programs and redirect funding to Trump's top objectives. Hegseth said a negotiated peace between Russia and Ukraine, which has been promoted for months by Trump, makes America look strong, even though Moscow is the aggressor in the conflict. He also said the defence budget includes hard choices and "reflects the reality that Europe needs to step up more for the defence of its own continent. And President Trump deserves the credit for that." The defence secretary told lawmakers last month that some US security spending for Ukraine was still in the process, without providing details. But he said such assistance - which has been robust for the past two years - would be reduced. "This administration takes a very different view of that conflict," Hegseth said. "We believe that a negotiated peaceful settlement is in the best interest of both parties and our nation's interests." The change comes after Hegseth skipped a meeting last month of an international group to coordinate military aid to Ukraine that the US created three years ago. Hegseth's predecessor, Lloyd Austin, formed the group after Russia attacked Ukraine, and Hegseth's absence was the first time the US defense secretary wasn't in attendance. Under Austin's leadership, the US served as chair of the group, and he and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff attended monthly meetings, which were both in person and by video. Hegseth had previously stepped away from a leadership role of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group - turning that over to Germany and the United Kingdom - before abandoning the gathering altogether.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
US won't send some weapons pledged to Ukraine after Pentagon review of military aid
The US is halting some shipments of weapons to Ukraine amid concerns that its own stockpiles have declined too much, officials said on Tuesday, a setback for the European country as it tries to fend off escalating attacks from Russia. Certain munitions were previously promised to Ukraine under the previous Biden administration to aid its defences during the more than three-year-old war. The pause reflects a new set of priorities under President Donald Trump and came after Defence Department officials scrutinised current US stockpiles and raised concerns. "This decision was made to put America's interests first following a review of our nation's military support and assistance to other countries across the globe," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement. "The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned -- just ask Iran." Live Events That was a reference to Trump recently ordering US missile strikes against nuclear sites in Iran. Pentagon stocks of some weapons found to be low, official says The Pentagon review determined that stocks were too low on some weapons previously pledged, so pending shipments of some items won't be sent, according to a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide information that has not yet been made public. The Defence Department did not provide details on what specific weapons were being held back. "America's military has never been more ready and more capable," spokesman Sean Parnell said, adding that the major tax cut and spending package moving through Congress "ensures that our weapons and defence systems are modernized to protect against 21st century threats for generations to come". The halt of some weapons from the US is a blow to Ukraine as Russia recently launched some of its biggest aerial attacks of the war, in an escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in peace efforts championed by Trump. Talks between the sides have ground to a halt. The US stoppage was first reported by Politico. To date, the US has provided Ukraine more than USD 66 billion worth of weapons and military assistance since Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022. Over the course of the war, the US has routinely pressed for allies to provide air defence systems to Ukraine. But many are reluctant to give up the high-tech systems, particularly countries in eastern Europe that also feel threatened by Russia. Trump met with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit last week and had left open the possibility of sending Kyiv more US-made Patriot air defence missile systems, acknowledging they would help the Ukrainian cause. "They do want to have the antimissile missiles, OK, as they call them, the Patriots," Trump said then. "And we're going to see if we can make some available. We need them, too. We're supplying them to Israel, and they're very effective, 100 per cent effective. Hard to believe how effective. They do want that more than any other thing." Trump administration shifts outlook on Ukraine military aid Those comments reflect a change of thinking about providing weapons to Ukraine across the administration in recent months. In testimony before lawmakers in June, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said he has moved quickly to quash wasteful programs and redirect funding to Trump's top objectives. Hegseth said a negotiated peace between Russia and Ukraine, which has been promoted for months by Trump, makes America look strong, even though Moscow is the aggressor in the conflict. He also said the defence budget includes hard choices and "reflects the reality that Europe needs to step up more for the defence of its own continent. And President Trump deserves the credit for that". The defence secretary told lawmakers last month that some US security spending for Ukraine was still in the pipeline, without providing details. But he said such assistance -- which has been robust for the past two years -- would be reduced. "This administration takes a very different view of that conflict," Hegseth said. "We believe that a negotiated peaceful settlement is in the best interest of both parties and our nation's interests." The change comes after Hegseth last month skipped a meeting of an international group to coordinate military aid to Ukraine that the US created three years ago. Hegseth's predecessor, Lloyd Austin, formed the group after Russia attacked Ukraine, and Hegseth's absence was the first time the US defence secretary wasn't in attendance. Under Austin's leadership, the US served as chair of the group, and he and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff attended monthly meetings, which were both in person and by video. Hegseth previously stepped away from a leadership role of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group -- turning that over to Germany and the United Kingdom -- before abandoning the gathering altogether.
AU Financial Review
7 days ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Warnings over defence cash squeeze
The Defence Department has cut project maintenance and training budgets by 10 per cent to save money to pay for the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines and new missiles, amid growing pressure on the Albanese government to boost military spending. Multiple defence industry sources, granted anonymity to discuss commercially sensitive matters, warned the squeeze was affecting the Australian Defence Force's ability to keep its personnel and weapons platforms such as warships and aircraft in peak condition for a potential conflict.
South Wales Argus
23-06-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Iran launches missile attacks on US base in Qatar
After the attack, the Gulf nation of Bahrain – which is home to the US 5th Fleet headquarters – temporarily suspended flights in its air space, which is similar to what Qatar did shortly before it was hit. Qatar condemned the attack on Al Udeid Air Base, but said it intercepted the missiles and no casualties were reported. It said its air space is now safe. The US confirmed the air base was targeted by a missile attack from Iran but added that casualties were reported. A Defence Department source said the base was targeted with short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles, and officials are continuing to monitor the situationl. Satellite image showing Al Udeid Air Base (Planet Labs PBC/AP) Tehran said the attack in Qatar matched the number of bombs dropped by the US on Iran's nuclear sites over the weekend, signalling its likely desire to de-escalate. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside populated areas. Tehran announced the attack on state television as martial music played. A caption on screen called it 'a mighty and successful response' to 'America's aggression'. The Ain al-Assad base housing US troops in western Iraq was also targeted, an Iraqi security source said, but Iran did not claim that attack, which could have been carried out by militias. Qatar's Foreign Ministry said the attack by Iran's Revolutionary Guards was 'a flagrant violation of Qatar's sovereignty, its air space and international law'. Al Udeid is also home to the Combined Air Operations Centre, which provides command and control of air power across the region as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest such unit in the world. The retaliation came a day after the US launched a surprise attack on three of Iran's nuclear sites. Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on the social platform X: 'We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer.' Masoud Pezeshkian (Iranian Presidency Office/AP) Earlier in the day, Israel expanded its war against Iran to include targets associated with the country's struggling theocracy, striking the gate of a Tehran prison notorious for holding political activists and hitting the headquarters of the military force that suppressed recent protests. As plumes of thick smoke rose over Tehran, Israel was attacked with another barrage of Iranian missiles and drones. The persistent fire has become a reality for civilians in both countries since Israel started the war to target Tehran's nuclear programme. On the 11th day of the conflict, Israel said it attacked 'regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran', but Israeli officials insisted they did not seek the overthrow of Iran's government, their arch enemy since the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Israeli military warned Iranians that it would continue to attack military sites around Tehran over 'the coming days' as its focus shifts to symbolic targets as well. The military issued the warning on the social platform X, though Iranians are struggling to access the outside world as an internet shutdown has crippled the country. The latest strikes unfolded hours after Donald Trump wrote on social media: 'If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later said the US president was 'simply raising a question'. However, suggestions of overthrowing the Iranian government drew new anger from Tehran, which insists it will not negotiate at this time and is threatening to retaliate directly against American troops or interests in a Middle East already inflamed by the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. In the Tehran strikes, Israel blew open a gate at Evin prison. Iranian state television shared surveillance footage of the strike at the facility known for holding dual nationals and westerners often used by Iran as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West. Evin also has specialised units for political prisoners run by the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The facility is the target of US and EU sanctions. Evin jail in the suburbs of Tehran (Alamy/PA) Iranian state television aired footage it described as being shot inside Evin, with prisoners under control inside the facility. However, the Washington-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Centre for Human Rights in Iran expressed worry about the condition of prisoners there. 'Many families of current detainees have expressed deep concern about the safety and condition of their loved ones held inside the prison,' it said. Earlier on Monday, Iranian General Abdolrahim Mousavi warned Washington that its strikes had given Iranian forces a 'free hand ' to 'act against US interests and its army'. Tens of thousands of US troops are based in the Middle East, many in locations within range of short-range Iranian missiles. The Israeli military also confirmed it had struck roads around Iran's Fordo enrichment facility to obstruct access to the site. The underground site was one of those hit in Sunday's attack by the US on three nuclear facilities. 'The Iranian dictator will be punished with full force for attacking the Israeli home front,' Israel's Defence Ministry said. According to an Israeli source, Israel is targeting these sites to put pressure on the Iranian administration but is not actively seeking to topple it. In Vienna, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said he expected heavy damage at the Fordo facility after Sunday's US air strike. Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (Michael Gruber/AP) Iran said the US had crossed 'a very big red line' by striking the three sites with missiles and 30,000lb bunker-buster bombs. Several Iranian officials, including Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi, said Tehran removed nuclear material from targeted sites ahead of time. Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the agency's board of governors on Monday that Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told him on June 13 that Iran would 'adopt special measures to protect nuclear equipment and materials'. 'I indicated that any transfer of nuclear material from a safeguarded facility to another location in Iran must be declared,' Mr Grossi said, without saying whether Iran had responded. Iran described its Monday attack on Israel as a new wave of its Operation True Promise 3, saying it was targeting the cities of Haifa and Tel Aviv, according to Iranian state television. Explosions were also heard in Jerusalem, possibly from air defence systems, and Israel's Magen David Adom emergency rescue service said there had been no reports of injuries. In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in the war. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 950 people and wounded 3,450 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists.
