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North Wales Chronicle
21-07-2025
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
Ukraine's allies stand at ‘moment of maximum opportunity'
The Defence Secretary said the UK and other allies must use Donald Trump's 50-day ultimatum to Vladimir Putin to start a '50-day drive' to arm Ukraine ahead of any talks, with the aim of strengthening its hand against Russia. The US president has threatened to impose 'very severe' tariffs on Russia if it does not agree a ceasefire by September 2, 50 days on from his announcement that he would sell 'top-of-the-line' weapons to Nato that could then be given to Ukraine. Speaking at the 29th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG), Mr Healey told allies gathered from 52 nations: 'This is a moment of maximum opportunity. 'Last week, President Trump announced a new plan for large scale Nato weapons transfers, and committed to getting these, he said, quickly distributed to the battlefield. 'The UK backs this policy. We will play our full part in its success.' Mr Healey added: 'Alongside this new agreement to ensure that Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself, President Trump also started the clock on a 50-day deadline for Putin to agree to peace or to face crippling economic sanctions. 'And 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.' The UK Defence Secretary chaired the meeting for the fourth time, also his third time co-chairing with German defence minister Boris Pistorius. The group, which brings together defence ministers and officials from Ukraine's allies, was chaired by the US until Mr Trump came to power and began rowing back on American support for Kyiv and European security. As the UK and Germany led calls for European allies to step up their support for Kyiv, Mr Healey said the two countries have 'agreed to partner in providing critical air defence missiles to Ukraine'. His German counterpart Mr Pistorius, meanwhile, said the pair were involved in an initiative to replenish ammunition for anti-aircraft guns. 'We will, together with our British friends, provide 220,000 rounds of 35 millimetre ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft gun system at short notice, financed by Germany,' the German defence minister said. The drive to step up support for Ukraine comes after the UK revealed it has spent some £150 million on air defence and artillery for the war-torn nation over the past two months. At least £700 million will be spent on similar support over the course of the year, according to the Ministry of Defence. Elsewhere on Monday, the Foreign Office announced 137 fresh sanctions on Russian entities, targeting the oil and gas sector. The new sanctions target 135 oil tankers involved in Mr Putin's 'shadow fleet' operation, responsible for illicitly carrying cargo since the start of the war in Ukraine. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 'New sanctions will further dismantle Putin's shadow fleet and drain Russia's war chest of its critical oil revenues. 'As Putin continues to stall and delay on serious peace talks, we will not stand idly by. We will continue to use the full might of our sanctions regime to ratchet up economic pressure at every turn and stand side by side with Ukraine.'
eNCA
21-07-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
UK calls for 50-day drive to arm Ukraine
The UK government on Monday called for a 50-day drive to arm Ukraine to take advantage of a recent ultimatum put to Russia by US President Donald Trump. 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. Russia has escalated long-range aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities as well as frontline assaults and shelling over recent months, defying Trump's warning. Healey said Britain and Germany have "agreed to partner in providing critical air defence missiles to Ukraine". Pistorius said the two countries would provide 220,000 rounds of 35 millimetre ammunition for anti-aircraft guns used by Ukraine. According to the UK defence ministry, Britain has sent £150 million ($200 million) worth of air defence missiles and artillery rounds to Ukraine in the past two months. The UK has pledged to spend £700 million on air defence and artillery ammunition for Ukraine this year. The commitment is in addition to other funding to provide more of the drones that have become key weapons in the war with Russia.
Euractiv
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Euractiv
France to manufacture drones in Ukraine following foreign minister's visit
French companies will begin manufacturing drones in Ukraine, officials announced on Monday following a meeting between French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. "We are ready to expand joint defens[c]e production," Zelenskyy posted on X. "There is a decision by French companies to begin manufacturing drones in Ukraine – and this is highly valuable," he added. Barrot, in a separate post, confirmed the move: 'French drones will be built on Ukrainian soil.' He added: 'That's what sovereignty and strategic trust look like.' The announcement came during Barrot's two-day visit to Kyiv, aimed at reaffirming France's continued support for Ukraine amid Russia's ongoing invasion. Just hours earlier, Russia launched one of its largest assaults on Ukraine in recent months. The attack killed two people and wounded 15, including a 12-year-old, Zelenskyy said in a separate post. In a statement following the meeting, Zelenskyy said the two also discussed broader defence cooperation, including air defence capabilities, training Ukrainian troops, and the outcomes of recent Ramstein-format meetings. Barrot is also expected to have separate meetings with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andriy Sybiga, and the new Prime Minister, Yulia Svyrydenko. The visit coincided with a video meeting of defence ministers from the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG), where participating countries pledged to improve coordination and strengthen NATO-backed support for Kyiv, according to a NATO press release. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that, as announced last week, he and US President Donald Trump would boost support for Ukraine by unlocking additional US defence assets that NATO allies can contribute to. "We continue to work through the new initiative that enables Allies new access to purchase US equipment for Ukraine via NATO," Rutte posted on X. The meeting was led by British Defense Secretary John Healey and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich also took part. Ukraine's new Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal called on the US to release air defence systems for purchase and urged European allies to finance the procurement, under the plan proposed by Trump. (aw)
Russia Today
21-07-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
UK wants ‘50-day drive' to arm Ukraine
UK Defense Secretary John Healey is set to urge Ukraine's backers to launch a '50-day drive' to arm Kiev, local media have reported. The plan follows US President Donald Trump's threat to impose secondary sanctions on Russia's trading partners within 50 days if no progress is made on resolving the conflict. Healey is expected to make the appeal when he leads a virtual session of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) on Monday. The minister is also poised to back Trump's plan and pledge the UK's support to 'bolster Ukraine's immediate fight.' 'The US has started the clock on a 50-day deadline for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to agree to peace or face crippling economic sanctions… We need to step up in turn with a '50-day drive' to arm Ukraine on the battlefield and force Putin to the negotiating table,' he is expected to say. Earlier this month, Trump imposed a 50-day ceasefire deadline on Russia, warning of 'very severe' new sanctions, including 100% 'secondary tariffs' on countries buying Russian oil. He also announced new weapons deliveries to Ukraine, noting that the EU will foot the bill. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump's remarks 'will be perceived by the Ukrainian side not as a signal toward peace, but as a signal to continue the war.' Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stressed that Moscow will not cave in to any ultimatums but is still open to talks. While the UK has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters, Luke Pollard, the country's armed forces minister, warned last autumn of dwindling stockpiles due to years of military deliveries. Moscow has consistently denounced Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, warning they only prolong the conflict without changing its outcome. It has also accused the EU and UK of impeding ongoing peace efforts. Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday voiced concern over what he described as declining interest among the British public in the Ukraine conflict. He added that the current government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer is 'distracted' by 'a lot of domestic issues.'
South Wales Guardian
21-07-2025
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Ukraine's allies stand at ‘moment of maximum opportunity'
The Defence Secretary said the UK and other allies must use Donald Trump's 50-day ultimatum to Vladimir Putin to start a '50-day drive' to arm Ukraine ahead of any talks, with the aim of strengthening its hand against Russia. The US president has threatened to impose 'very severe' tariffs on Russia if it does not agree a ceasefire by September 2, 50 days on from his announcement that he would sell 'top-of-the-line' weapons to Nato that could then be given to Ukraine. Speaking at the 29th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG), Mr Healey told allies gathered from 52 nations: 'This is a moment of maximum opportunity. 'Last week, President Trump announced a new plan for large scale Nato weapons transfers, and committed to getting these, he said, quickly distributed to the battlefield. 'The UK backs this policy. We will play our full part in its success.' Mr Healey added: 'Alongside this new agreement to ensure that Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself, President Trump also started the clock on a 50-day deadline for Putin to agree to peace or to face crippling economic sanctions. 'And 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.' The UK Defence Secretary chaired the meeting for the fourth time, also his third time co-chairing with German defence minister Boris Pistorius. The group, which brings together defence ministers and officials from Ukraine's allies, was chaired by the US until Mr Trump came to power and began rowing back on American support for Kyiv and European security. As the UK and Germany led calls for European allies to step up their support for Kyiv, Mr Healey said the two countries have 'agreed to partner in providing critical air defence missiles to Ukraine'. His German counterpart Mr Pistorius, meanwhile, said the pair were involved in an initiative to replenish ammunition for anti-aircraft guns. 'We will, together with our British friends, provide 220,000 rounds of 35 millimetre ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft gun system at short notice, financed by Germany,' the German defence minister said. The drive to step up support for Ukraine comes after the UK revealed it has spent some £150 million on air defence and artillery for the war-torn nation over the past two months. At least £700 million will be spent on similar support over the course of the year, according to the Ministry of Defence.
