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The Advertiser
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
US delivering some weapons to Ukraine after pause
The United States is delivering artillery shells and mobile rocket artillery missiles to Ukraine, days after President Donald Trump's administration had halted shipments of some critical weapons to Kyiv. The pause in some weapon shipments last week appears to have been tied to concerns that US military stockpiles might be too low, two officials said on Wednesday. Since then, Trump said he did not know who ordered the pause and that he would send more weapons to Ukraine, primarily defensive ones, to help the war-torn country defend itself against intensifying Russian advances. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said 155mm artillery shells and GMLRS (mobile rocket artillery) missiles were now being provided to Ukraine. The officials did not say how many weapons were being sent and whether the shipment was complete. It was also unclear whether the new shipment represented any change in policy by the administration. Russia targeted Ukraine with a record 728 drones overnight. The attack, which follows a series of escalating air assaults on Ukraine in recent weeks, showed the need for "biting" sanctions on the sources of income Russia uses to finance the war, including on those who buy Russian oil, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Telegram. Ukraine's military downed almost all the drones but some of the six hypersonic missiles launched by Russia had caused unspecified damage, air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said on Ukrainian television. Meanwhile, Pope Leo has told visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that the Vatican is willing to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks. The Pope, meeting the Ukrainian leader for the second time in his two-month-old papacy, also discussed "the urgent need for a just and lasting peace," the Vatican said in a statement. Zelenskiy and Leo held talks in Castel Gandolfo, a small Italian hill town not far from Rome, where the Pope is having a two-week holiday. Zelenskiy said on X that holding talks with Russia in the Vatican would be "entirely possible, with the goal of stopping Russian aggression and achieving a stable, lasting, and genuine peace". But he said Russia had rejected such proposals, "as it has turned down all other peace initiatives". Russian officials have told Reuters in the past that they did not see the Vatican as a serious venue for talks because it is surrounded by NATO military alliance member Italy which has supported Ukraine. The Ukrainian leader is in Italy to attend a conference on July 10-11 dedicated to Ukraine's recovery and long-term reconstruction following Russia's invasion. The Vatican did not say how long the meeting between Leo and Zelenskiy lasted. It released video showing Leo, the first US-born pontiff, asking Zelenskiy "How are things going?" in English as they sat in a large room together. Leo, who has made appealing for peace in world conflicts a major theme of his young papacy, previously met Zelenskiy at the Vatican on May 18. The Pope also held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4, during which the Vatican said Leo had asked Putin to take concrete steps to end Russia's three-year war on Ukraine. US President Donald Trump suggested in May that Leo had offered to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks although the pontiff did not discuss it publicly at the time. The United States is delivering artillery shells and mobile rocket artillery missiles to Ukraine, days after President Donald Trump's administration had halted shipments of some critical weapons to Kyiv. The pause in some weapon shipments last week appears to have been tied to concerns that US military stockpiles might be too low, two officials said on Wednesday. Since then, Trump said he did not know who ordered the pause and that he would send more weapons to Ukraine, primarily defensive ones, to help the war-torn country defend itself against intensifying Russian advances. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said 155mm artillery shells and GMLRS (mobile rocket artillery) missiles were now being provided to Ukraine. The officials did not say how many weapons were being sent and whether the shipment was complete. It was also unclear whether the new shipment represented any change in policy by the administration. Russia targeted Ukraine with a record 728 drones overnight. The attack, which follows a series of escalating air assaults on Ukraine in recent weeks, showed the need for "biting" sanctions on the sources of income Russia uses to finance the war, including on those who buy Russian oil, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Telegram. Ukraine's military downed almost all the drones but some of the six hypersonic missiles launched by Russia had caused unspecified damage, air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said on Ukrainian television. Meanwhile, Pope Leo has told visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that the Vatican is willing to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks. The Pope, meeting the Ukrainian leader for the second time in his two-month-old papacy, also discussed "the urgent need for a just and lasting peace," the Vatican said in a statement. Zelenskiy and Leo held talks in Castel Gandolfo, a small Italian hill town not far from Rome, where the Pope is having a two-week holiday. Zelenskiy said on X that holding talks with Russia in the Vatican would be "entirely possible, with the goal of stopping Russian aggression and achieving a stable, lasting, and genuine peace". But he said Russia had rejected such proposals, "as it has turned down all other peace initiatives". Russian officials have told Reuters in the past that they did not see the Vatican as a serious venue for talks because it is surrounded by NATO military alliance member Italy which has supported Ukraine. The Ukrainian leader is in Italy to attend a conference on July 10-11 dedicated to Ukraine's recovery and long-term reconstruction following Russia's invasion. The Vatican did not say how long the meeting between Leo and Zelenskiy lasted. It released video showing Leo, the first US-born pontiff, asking Zelenskiy "How are things going?" in English as they sat in a large room together. Leo, who has made appealing for peace in world conflicts a major theme of his young papacy, previously met Zelenskiy at the Vatican on May 18. The Pope also held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4, during which the Vatican said Leo had asked Putin to take concrete steps to end Russia's three-year war on Ukraine. US President Donald Trump suggested in May that Leo had offered to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks although the pontiff did not discuss it publicly at the time. The United States is delivering artillery shells and mobile rocket artillery missiles to Ukraine, days after President Donald Trump's administration had halted shipments of some critical weapons to Kyiv. The pause in some weapon shipments last week appears to have been tied to concerns that US military stockpiles might be too low, two officials said on Wednesday. Since then, Trump said he did not know who ordered the pause and that he would send more weapons to Ukraine, primarily defensive ones, to help the war-torn country defend itself against intensifying Russian advances. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said 155mm artillery shells and GMLRS (mobile rocket artillery) missiles were now being provided to Ukraine. The officials did not say how many weapons were being sent and whether the shipment was complete. It was also unclear whether the new shipment represented any change in policy by the administration. Russia targeted Ukraine with a record 728 drones overnight. The attack, which follows a series of escalating air assaults on Ukraine in recent weeks, showed the need for "biting" sanctions on the sources of income Russia uses to finance the war, including on those who buy Russian oil, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Telegram. Ukraine's military downed almost all the drones but some of the six hypersonic missiles launched by Russia had caused unspecified damage, air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said on Ukrainian television. Meanwhile, Pope Leo has told visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that the Vatican is willing to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks. The Pope, meeting the Ukrainian leader for the second time in his two-month-old papacy, also discussed "the urgent need for a just and lasting peace," the Vatican said in a statement. Zelenskiy and Leo held talks in Castel Gandolfo, a small Italian hill town not far from Rome, where the Pope is having a two-week holiday. Zelenskiy said on X that holding talks with Russia in the Vatican would be "entirely possible, with the goal of stopping Russian aggression and achieving a stable, lasting, and genuine peace". But he said Russia had rejected such proposals, "as it has turned down all other peace initiatives". Russian officials have told Reuters in the past that they did not see the Vatican as a serious venue for talks because it is surrounded by NATO military alliance member Italy which has supported Ukraine. The Ukrainian leader is in Italy to attend a conference on July 10-11 dedicated to Ukraine's recovery and long-term reconstruction following Russia's invasion. The Vatican did not say how long the meeting between Leo and Zelenskiy lasted. It released video showing Leo, the first US-born pontiff, asking Zelenskiy "How are things going?" in English as they sat in a large room together. Leo, who has made appealing for peace in world conflicts a major theme of his young papacy, previously met Zelenskiy at the Vatican on May 18. The Pope also held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4, during which the Vatican said Leo had asked Putin to take concrete steps to end Russia's three-year war on Ukraine. US President Donald Trump suggested in May that Leo had offered to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks although the pontiff did not discuss it publicly at the time. The United States is delivering artillery shells and mobile rocket artillery missiles to Ukraine, days after President Donald Trump's administration had halted shipments of some critical weapons to Kyiv. The pause in some weapon shipments last week appears to have been tied to concerns that US military stockpiles might be too low, two officials said on Wednesday. Since then, Trump said he did not know who ordered the pause and that he would send more weapons to Ukraine, primarily defensive ones, to help the war-torn country defend itself against intensifying Russian advances. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said 155mm artillery shells and GMLRS (mobile rocket artillery) missiles were now being provided to Ukraine. The officials did not say how many weapons were being sent and whether the shipment was complete. It was also unclear whether the new shipment represented any change in policy by the administration. Russia targeted Ukraine with a record 728 drones overnight. The attack, which follows a series of escalating air assaults on Ukraine in recent weeks, showed the need for "biting" sanctions on the sources of income Russia uses to finance the war, including on those who buy Russian oil, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Telegram. Ukraine's military downed almost all the drones but some of the six hypersonic missiles launched by Russia had caused unspecified damage, air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said on Ukrainian television. Meanwhile, Pope Leo has told visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that the Vatican is willing to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks. The Pope, meeting the Ukrainian leader for the second time in his two-month-old papacy, also discussed "the urgent need for a just and lasting peace," the Vatican said in a statement. Zelenskiy and Leo held talks in Castel Gandolfo, a small Italian hill town not far from Rome, where the Pope is having a two-week holiday. Zelenskiy said on X that holding talks with Russia in the Vatican would be "entirely possible, with the goal of stopping Russian aggression and achieving a stable, lasting, and genuine peace". But he said Russia had rejected such proposals, "as it has turned down all other peace initiatives". Russian officials have told Reuters in the past that they did not see the Vatican as a serious venue for talks because it is surrounded by NATO military alliance member Italy which has supported Ukraine. The Ukrainian leader is in Italy to attend a conference on July 10-11 dedicated to Ukraine's recovery and long-term reconstruction following Russia's invasion. The Vatican did not say how long the meeting between Leo and Zelenskiy lasted. It released video showing Leo, the first US-born pontiff, asking Zelenskiy "How are things going?" in English as they sat in a large room together. Leo, who has made appealing for peace in world conflicts a major theme of his young papacy, previously met Zelenskiy at the Vatican on May 18. The Pope also held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4, during which the Vatican said Leo had asked Putin to take concrete steps to end Russia's three-year war on Ukraine. US President Donald Trump suggested in May that Leo had offered to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks although the pontiff did not discuss it publicly at the time.
Japan Today
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
Trump administration resumes sending some weapons to Ukraine after Pentagon pause
President Donald Trump, left, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, right, during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) By TARA COPP The Trump administration has resumed sending some weapons to Ukraine, a week after the Pentagon had directed that some deliveries be paused, U.S. officials said Wednesday. The weapons heading into Ukraine include 155 mm munitions and precision-guided rockets known as GMLRS, two officials told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to provide details that had not been announced publicly. It's unclear exactly when the weapons started moving. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the pause on some shipments last week to allow the Pentagon to assess its weapons stockpiles, in a move that caught the White House by surprise. Affected was Patriot missiles, the precision-guided GMLRS, Hellfire missiles, Howitzer rounds and more, taking not only Ukrainian officials and other allies by surprise but also U.S. lawmakers and other parts of the Trump administration, including the State Department. It was not clear if a pause on Patriot missiles would hold. The $4 million munition is in high demand and was key to defending a major U.S. air base in Qatar last month as Iran launched a ballistic missile attack in response to the U.S. targeting its nuclear facilities. President Donald Trump announced Monday that the U.S. would continue to deliver defensive weapons to Ukraine. He has sidestepped questions about who ordered the pause in exchanges with reporters this week. 'I would know if a decision is made. I will know,' Trump said Wednesday. 'I will be the first to know. In fact, most likely I'd give the order, but I haven't done that yet.' Asked a day earlier who ordered the pause, he said, 'I don't know. Why don't you tell me?' Trump has privately expressed frustration with Pentagon officials for announcing the pause — a move that he felt wasn't properly coordinated with the White House, according to three people familiar with the matter. The Pentagon has denied that Hegseth acted without consulting the president, saying, 'Secretary Hegseth provided a framework for the President to evaluate military aid shipments and assess existing stockpiles. This effort was coordinated across government.' It comes as Russia has fired escalating air attacks on Ukraine, with a barrage that the largest number of drones fired in a single night in the three-year-old war, Ukrainian officials said Wednesday. Trump has become increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he wasn't happy with him. "Putin is not, he's not treating human beings right,' Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, explaining the pause's reversal. 'It's killing too many people. So we're sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine, and I've approved that.' The 155 mm artillery rounds have become some of the most used munitions of the war. Each round is about 2 feet (60 centimeters) long, weighs about 100 pounds (45 kilograms) and is 155 mm, or 6.1 inches, in diameter. They are used in Howitzer systems, which are towed large guns identified by the range of the angle of fire that their barrels can be set to. Howitzer fires can strike targets up to 15 to 20 miles (24 to 32 kilometers) away, depending on what type of round and firing system is used, which makes them highly valued by ground forces to take out enemy targets from a protected distance. The U.S. has provided more than 3 million 155 mm rounds to Ukraine since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022. It has sent more than $67 billion in overall weapons and military assistance to Ukraine in that period. Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani contributed to this report. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
US military delivering some weapons to Ukraine after pause
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox WASHINGTON - The United States is delivering artillery shells and mobile rocket artillery missiles to Ukraine, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Wednesday, days after President Donald Trump's administration had halted shipments of some critical weapons to Kyiv. The pause in some weapon shipments last week appears to have been tied to concerns that U.S. military stockpiles might be too low, officials had said. Since then, Trump said he did not know who ordered the pause and that he would send more weapons to Ukraine, primarily defensive ones, to help the war-torn country defend itself against intensifying Russian advances. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said 155 mm artillery shells and GMLRS (mobile rocket artillery) missiles were now being provided to Ukraine. The officials did not say how many weapons were being sent and whether the shipment was complete. It was also unclear whether the new shipment represented any change in policy by the administration. Russia targeted Ukraine with a record 728 drones overnight. The attack, which follows a series of escalating air assaults on Ukraine in recent weeks, showed the need for "biting" sanctions on the sources of income Russia uses to finance the war, including on those who buy Russian oil, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Telegram. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump's ambassador nominee to Singapore Anjani Sinha has a rough day at Senate hearing Asia Dr M at 100: Still haunted by the Malay Dilemma Singapore Singapore to hire more than 1,000 new educators annually in the next few years, up from 700 Singapore COE prices rise for all categories Singapore Govt watching job situation for fresh graduates closely, exploring further support: Gan Siow Huang Singapore Man who killed cats by throwing them off HDB blocks has jail term doubled to 27 months Singapore $43k fine for undischarged bankrupt doctor who failed to disclose assets worth over $4m Singapore People working in air-conditioned spaces prefer 24 deg C and warmer: Survey Zelenskiy said on Tuesday he ordered an expansion of contacts with the United States to ensure critical deliveries of military supplies, primarily air defense. REUTERS
Chicago Tribune
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Trump administration resumes sending some weapons to Ukraine after Pentagon pause
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has resumed sending some weapons to Ukraine, a week after the Pentagon had directed that some deliveries be paused. The weapons now moving into Ukraine include 155 mm munitions and precision-guided rockets known as GMLRS, two U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday. They spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details that had not been announced publicly. It's unclear exactly when the weapons started moving. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the pause last week, which affected a specific recent shipment of weapons to Ukraine, to allow the Pentagon to assess its weapons stockpiles, in a move that caught the White House by surprise. President Donald Trump announced Monday that the U.S. would continue to deliver defensive weapons to Ukraine. He has sidestepped questions about who ordered the pause in exchanges with reporters this week. 'I would know if a decision is made. I will know,' Trump said Wednesday. 'I will be the first to know. In fact, most likely I'd give the order, but I haven't done that yet.' When asked a day earlier who ordered the pause, he said: 'I don't know. Why don't you tell me?' Trump has privately expressed frustration with Pentagon officials for announcing the pause — a move that he felt wasn't properly coordinated with the White House, according to three people familiar with the matter. The Pentagon has denied that Hegseth acted without consulting the president. The U.S. has sent more than $67 billion in weapons and military assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
New York Post
3 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
US restarts weapons shipments to Ukraine after Trump reversed Pentagon pause
WASHINGTON — The US has resumed sending military aid to Ukraine after President Trump reversed a decision by the Pentagon to stop shipments of weapons the war-torn country needs to defend against Russia's intense aerial assaults, according to US and Ukrainian officials. The restarted aid was en route to Ukraine last week when US defense officials abruptly stopped delivery — without first consulting the White House. Some of the aid had already made it as far as Poland. The packages include precision-guided rockets known as Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS), which are used in Patriot air-defense systems to shoot Russian missiles out of the sky. Advertisement Also included are 155mm munitions for howitzers, which Ukraine uses to defend its territory against invading Russian ground forces. The aftermath of Russian drone and missile attacks on Kyiv Wednesday. STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock Trump has spoken in recent weeks about wanting to boost Ukraine's Patriot supply, telling a Ukrainian journalist in a heartwarming exchange at The Hague late last month that he was 'going to see if we can make some available.' Advertisement 'You know, they're very hard to get. We need them too,' the president said at the time. 'We were supplying them to Israel, and they're very effective — 100% effective. Hard to believe how effective. And they do want that more than any other thing, as you probably know.' The renewed shipments come at a critical moment in Russia's war on Ukraine. On Tuesday night, Moscow launched its largest air assault to-date featuring 728 Shahed and decoy drones along with 13 cruise and ballistic missiles. That barrage broke a record set just days before, on July 4, when Russia sent 539 drones and 11 missiles into Ukrainian airspace. On Tuesday, the president had vented his simmering frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin — who Trump said has been giving him 'bulls—' about his intentions to end his war. Advertisement 'A lot of people are dying and it should end,' the president complained to reporters during a Cabinet meeting. 'We get a lot of bulls— thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth. He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.' He reiterated the sentiment on Wednesday, telling reporters at the White House that he has been 'letting people know I'm not happy about what's going on.' Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump meet on the sidelines of last month's NATO Summit. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE/AFP via Getty Images 'They're losing now, I've been saying 5,000, now it's up to 7.000 — think of it, 7,000 people a week on both sides — 7,000 people. Young, mostly military people,' he said. 'Young souls are dead and dying, and it should be stopped. It should be stopped. Very sad to see what's happening.' Advertisement Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's top advisor, Andriy Yermak, thanked Trump for resuming the weapons shipments in an exclusive interview with The Post Tuesday. 'We would be happy if in this war with Russia against Ukraine, President Trump helps us to achieve a just and strong, durable peace,' he said. 'His pressure is working.' With Post Wires.
