Latest news with #LarsLokkeRasmussen
Reuters
2 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Europeans open to buying US arms for Ukraine under Trump plan but need details
BRUSSELS, July 15 (Reuters) - Several European countries said on Tuesday they were willing to buy U.S. arms for Ukraine under a scheme announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, although arrangements still needed to be worked out. Trump said on Monday that Washington will supply Patriot air defence systems, missiles and other weaponry to Ukraine for its war against Russia's invasion and that the arms would be paid for by other NATO countries. But much remains undisclosed, including the amounts and precise types of weapons to be provided, how quickly they would be supplied and how they would be paid for. U.S. officials have suggested that European countries will be willing to give up some of their own stocks of weapons for Ukraine and then buy replacements from the United States. But some of the countries involved say they still don't even know what is being asked of them. Such a move would get weapons to Ukraine more quickly but would leave donor countries' defences more exposed until new systems are ready. "We are ready to participate. Of course we can't do it on our own, we need others to partner up – but we have a readiness,' Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday ahead of a meeting of European Union ministers. Speaking alongside Trump at the White House on Monday, NATO chief Mark Rutte said that Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada want to be part of the new initiative. Many of those countries have been among the biggest military aid donors to Ukraine, either overall or per capita. Asked whether Denmark could give U.S. arms from its own stocks as part of the scheme, Rasmussen said: 'We don't have these kind of systems – the Patriot systems – so if we should lean in, and we are absolutely ready to do so, it will be (with) money and we have to work out the details.' European ministers said they would now need to examine how new purchases of U.S. weapons could be paid for. In many cases, that seems likely to involve countries teaming up to buy U.S. weapons systems. "Now we need to see how together we can go in and finance, among other things, Patriots, which they plan to send to Ukraine," Sweden's Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told Swedish radio. In Brussels, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said his country is looking into the plan 'with a positive inclination'. Asked about the scheme, Norwegian Defence Minister Tore Sandvik told Reuters that Oslo was 'in close dialogue with Ukraine' on military aid and 'air defence remains a high priority for Ukraine and for the Norwegian military support'. 'Norway has contributed to significant amounts of air defence for Ukraine, including co-financing the donation of a Patriot system and missiles,' he said. The Finnish Defence Ministry said Helsinki 'will continue to provide material support to Ukraine'. "The details of the U.S. initiative ... are not yet known and we are interested to hear more about them before we can take more concrete lines on this issue,' it said.
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Europeans open to buying U.S. arms for Ukraine under Trump plan but need details
Several European countries said on Tuesday they were willing to buy U.S. arms for Ukraine under a plan announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, although arrangements still needed to be worked out. Trump said Monday that Washington will supply Patriot air-defense systems, missiles and other weaponry to Ukraine for its war against Russia's invasion and that the arms would be paid for by other NATO countries. But much remains undisclosed, including the amounts and precise types of weapons to be provided, how quickly they would be supplied and how they would be paid for. U.S. officials have suggested that European countries will be willing to give up some of their own stocks of weapons for Ukraine and then buy replacements from the United States. But some of the countries involved say they still don't even know what is being asked of them. Such a move would get weapons to Ukraine more quickly but would leave donor countries' defenses more exposed until new systems are ready. "We are ready to participate. Of course we can't do it on our own, we need others to partner up — but we have a readiness,' Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday ahead of a meeting of European Union ministers. Speaking alongside Trump at the White House on Monday, NATO chief Mark Rutte said that Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada want to be part of the new initiative. Many of those countries have been among the biggest military aid donors to Ukraine, either overall or per capita. Asked whether Denmark could give U.S. arms from its own stocks as part of the plan, Rasmussen said: "We don't have these kind of systems — the Patriot systems — so if we should lean in, and we are absolutely ready to do so, it will be (with) money and we have to work out the details.' European ministers said they would now need to examine how new purchases of U.S. weapons could be paid for. In many cases, that seems likely to involve countries teaming up to buy U.S. weapons systems. "Now we need to see how together we can go in and finance, among other things, Patriots, which they plan to send to Ukraine," Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told Swedish radio. In Brussels, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said his country is looking into the plan "with a positive inclination.' Asked about the plan, Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik said that Oslo was "in close dialogue with Ukraine' on military aid and "air defense remains a high priority for Ukraine and for the Norwegian military support.' "Norway has contributed to significant amounts of air defense for Ukraine, including co-financing the donation of a Patriot system and missiles,' he said. The Finnish Defense Ministry said Helsinki "will continue to provide material support to Ukraine.' "The details of the U.S. initiative ... are not yet known and we are interested to hear more about them before we can take more concrete lines on this issue,' it said.
Canada News.Net
2 days ago
- Business
- Canada News.Net
Roundup: EU proposes new countermeasures amid trade dispute with U.S.
The EU views the new U.S. tariff as "absolutely unacceptable and unjustified" and is prepared to respond if talks with Washington fail to produce a viable outcome, said Lars Lokke Rasmussen, the foreign minister of Denmark, which recently assumed the EU presidency. BRUSSELS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) has proposed a new round of tariffs on U.S. goods worth 72 billion euros (84 billion U.S. dollars), amid the ongoing trade dispute between the world's largest economy and its biggest trading partner. EU trade ministers met in Brussels on Monday following U.S. President Donald Trump's surprise announcement over the weekend of new tariffs on the bloc. Maros Sefcovic, the EU's trade chief, said after the meeting that it was "very obvious from the discussions today, the 30 percent is absolutely unacceptable." He said that the commission was sharing proposals with the 27 members "for the second list of goods accounting for some 72 billion euros (84 billion dollars) worth of U.S. imports. They will now have a chance to discuss it. This does not exhaust our toolbox and every instrument remains on the table." Lars Lokke Rasmussen, the foreign minister of Denmark, which recently assumed the EU presidency, said the bloc views the new tariff as "absolutely unacceptable and unjustified" and is prepared to respond if talks with Washington fail to produce a viable outcome. "We are committed to continuing working with the United States on a negotiated outcome," he said, adding that the agreement has to be "mutually acceptable" on both sides. In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday morning, Trump announced a 30 percent tariff on the EU as of Aug. 1, blaming the bloc for causing "long-term, large, and persistent Trade Deficits." "Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from reciprocal," he wrote in the letter. "The EU will allow complete, open Market Access to the United States, with no Tariff being charged to us, in an attempt to reduce the large Trade Deficit." In response to Trump's latest deadline, the EU decided to postpone retaliatory counter tariffs on 21 billion euros (24.5 billion dollars) of U.S. goods that had been due to kick in at midnight on Monday until Aug. 1. The EU is open to trade talks with the United States for an agreement before the deadline, but won't rule out taking countermeasures, said Von der Leyen. "We remain ready to continue working towards an agreement by Aug. 1," the EU leader said in a statement. "At the same time, we will take all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including the adoption of proportionate countermeasures if required." The proposed tariff threatens to take a heavy toll on the EU economy. An analysis by the Milan-based Institute for International Political Studies suggested that Italy would be among the EU countries most affected by the U.S. tariffs. Under a 30-percent duty scenario, Germany's GDP would contract by an estimated 0.5 percent compared to a no-tariff baseline, while Italy's GDP would shrink by approximately 0.36 percent, said the think tank. On Monday, the Association for the Development of Industry in the Mezzogiorno (SVIMEZ) released its estimate of the impact of the U.S. tariffs on Italy's exports, projecting a reduction of nearly one-fifth in export volume and a loss of 12.4 billion euros (14.48 billion dollars) in trade once the tariffs take effect. SVIMEZ also warned of broader macroeconomic consequences, estimating a 0.5-percent reduction in Italy's GDP in 2026 and the potential loss of up to 150,000 jobs, including some 13,000 in the country's southern regions. "Our government is in close contact with the European Commission and all parties involved in the tariff negotiations," said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in a statement. "A trade war within the West would make us all weaker in the face of global challenges we are addressing together. Europe has the economic strength to protect its interests and reach a fair agreement," she said.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Europeans open to buying US arms for Ukraine under Trump plan but need details
'Of course we can't do it on our own, we need others to partner up,' Rasmussen told reportersEuropean ministers said they would now need to examine how new purchases of US weapons could be paid forBRUSSELS: Several European countries said on Tuesday they were willing to buy US arms for Ukraine under a scheme announced by US President Donald Trump, although arrangements still needed to be worked said on Monday that Washington will supply Patriot air defense systems, missiles and other weaponry to Ukraine for its war against Russia's invasion and that the arms would be paid for by other NATO much remains undisclosed, including the amounts and precise types of weapons to be provided, how quickly they would be supplied and how they would be paid officials have suggested that European countries will be willing to give up some of their own stocks of weapons for Ukraine and then buy replacements from the United States. But some of the countries involved say they still don't even know what is being asked of a move would get weapons to Ukraine more quickly but would leave donor countries' defenses more exposed until new systems are ready.'We are ready to participate. Of course we can't do it on our own, we need others to partner up – but we have a readiness,' Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday ahead of a meeting of European Union alongside Trump at the White House on Monday, NATO chief Mark Rutte said that Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada want to be part of the new of those countries have been among the biggest military aid donors to Ukraine, either overall or per whether Denmark could give US arms from its own stocks as part of the scheme, Rasmussen said: 'We don't have these kind of systems – the Patriot systems – so if we should lean in, and we are absolutely ready to do so, it will be (with) money and we have to work out the details.'European ministers said they would now need to examine how new purchases of US weapons could be paid for. In many cases, that seems likely to involve countries teaming up to buy US weapons systems.'Now we need to see how together we can go in and finance, among other things, Patriots, which they plan to send to Ukraine,' Sweden's Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told Swedish Brussels, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said his country is looking into the plan 'with a positive inclination'.Asked about the scheme, Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik told Reuters that Oslo was 'in close dialogue with Ukraine' on military aid and 'air defense remains a high priority for Ukraine and for the Norwegian military support'.'Norway has contributed to significant amounts of air defense for Ukraine, including co-financing the donation of a Patriot system and missiles,' he Finnish Defense Ministry said Helsinki 'will continue to provide material support to Ukraine'.'The details of the US initiative ... are not yet known and we are interested to hear more about them before we can take more concrete lines on this issue,' it said.
CNA
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Europeans open to buying US arms for Ukraine under Trump plan but need details
BRUSSELS: Several European countries said on Tuesday (Jul 15) they were willing to buy US arms for Ukraine under a scheme announced by US President Donald Trump, although arrangements still needed to be worked out. Trump said on Monday that Washington will supply Patriot air defence systems, missiles and other weaponry to Ukraine for its war against Russia's invasion and that the arms would be paid for by other NATO countries. But much remains undisclosed, including the amounts and precise types of weapons to be provided, how quickly they would be supplied and how they would be paid for. US officials have suggested that European countries will be willing to give up some of their own stocks of weapons for Ukraine and then buy replacements from the United States. But some of the countries involved say they still don't even know what is being asked of them. Such a move would get weapons to Ukraine more quickly but would leave donor countries' defences more exposed until new systems are ready. "We are ready to participate. Of course we can't do it on our own, we need others to partner up - but we have a readiness,' Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday ahead of a meeting of European Union ministers. Speaking alongside Trump at the White House on Monday, NATO chief Mark Rutte said that Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada want to be part of the new initiative. Many of those countries have been among the biggest military aid donors to Ukraine, either overall or per capita. Asked whether Denmark could give US arms from its own stocks as part of the scheme, Rasmussen said: 'We don't have these kind of systems - the Patriot systems - so if we should lean in, and we are absolutely ready to do so, it will be (with) money and we have to work out the details.' European ministers said they would now need to examine how new purchases of US weapons could be paid for. In many cases, that seems likely to involve countries teaming up to buy US weapons systems. "Now we need to see how together we can go in and finance, among other things, Patriots, which they plan to send to Ukraine," Sweden's Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told Swedish radio. In Brussels, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said his country is looking into the plan 'with a positive inclination'. Asked about the scheme, Norwegian Defence Minister Tore Sandvik told Reuters that Oslo was 'in close dialogue with Ukraine' on military aid and 'air defence remains a high priority for Ukraine and for the Norwegian military support'. 'Norway has contributed to significant amounts of air defence for Ukraine, including co-financing the donation of a Patriot system and missiles,' he said. The Finnish Defence Ministry said Helsinki 'will continue to provide material support to Ukraine'.
