Latest news with #Volker
Canada News.Net
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Canada News.Net
Trump tells NATO to donate weapons to Kyiv, and buy them from US
WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump has unveiled a new strategy to aid Ukraine without directly draining U.S. stockpiles: encourage European allies to donate their defense systems—especially Patriot missile batteries—and let the U.S. sell them modern replacements. But turning that pitch into reality will be complicated. Though Trump announced that some Patriot systems could arrive in Ukraine "within days," insiders say the plan is more of a concept than a fully developed strategy. Ten U.S. and European officials confirmed that key details—such as who gives up which weapons and when—are still under negotiation. The U.S.-made Patriot missile defense system, prized for its ability to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles, is in short supply and high demand among American allies. Trump's proposal hinges on NATO nations parting with their limited supply. According to officials familiar with the initiative, Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte devised the plan recently. Kyiv welcomed the proposal, seeing it as a notable shift from Trump, who had spoken warmly of Russian President Vladimir Putin until recently. Still, the rollout caught many off guard. Two European diplomats said they first heard of the plan as it was announced. Rutte named six NATO countries—Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and Canada—as potential participants during his meeting with Trump. However, several of their embassies were not briefed in advance. A NATO official confirmed that any future deliveries would be coordinated through its Security Assistance and Training mission in Germany, which manages military aid to Ukraine. A key meeting of nations that own Patriot batteries, led by NATO's top military commander, is being considered for July 23. The goal: secure more air defense systems for Ukraine. Meanwhile, U.S. officials say Washington may be open to sending additional offensive weapons under the plan, though Trump has cautioned that Ukraine should not attack Moscow directly. Former U.S. ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker said Trump's plan strikes a political balance, supporting Ukraine while appealing to Republicans skeptical of U.S. military aid. "He's shifting the burden to Europe, just like he promised his base," Volker said. Trump's renewed toughness on Russia, insiders say, reflects a realization that Putin's territorial ambitions extend beyond Crimea and eastern Ukraine. "He no longer believes Putin is negotiating in good faith," said one senior U.S. official. European leaders have cautiously welcomed Trump's change in tone but remain wary of footing the bill. Some countries—such as Greece and Spain—have resisted earlier requests to donate Patriot batteries, citing national security concerns. U.S. officials are now combing through NATO inventories and exploring trade options. Through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program or other deals, allies might be persuaded to part with equipment in exchange for faster replacements. Ultimately, Volker estimates Ukraine could receive 12–13 Patriot batteries, though deliveries could take up to a year. As one Pentagon official put it, "Now the hard part begins: convincing nations to give up their most prized defenses."
CNBC
23-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
NATO allies will pledge to hike defense spend – but will they deliver?
Fireworks could kick off during NATO's annual summit this week, as the U.S. pushes its allies to sharply increase their defense spending to 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP). The 5% figure is made up of 3.5% of GDP that should be spent on "pure" defense, with an extra 1.5% of GDP going to security-related infrastructure, such as cyber warfare capabilities and intelligence. While some member states they're happy to hit that milestone, and some countries are not too far off that mark, others don't even meet the 2% threshold that was agreed over a decade ago. While they might pledge to increase defense spending, whether these promises materializes will be the key question. Talk is cheap and timelines can be vague — but concerted action is what the U.S. and President Donald Trump, who's attending a NATO summit for the first time since 2019, will want to see. "The U.S. is looking for everybody to say, 'Yeah, we mean it. We have a plan. 5% is real. We're going to get there'," Kurt Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO and distinguished fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), said Wednesday. "But one thing to watch for is if the messaging is actually on point. Some of the messaging from some of our European allies, at least when they back brief their own media and their own parliaments is, 'Yeah, 5% but it's really 3.5% and 1.5%, and that can be pretty much anything' ... So there's going to be a whittling down [of defense spending pledges] almost immediately," Volker noted at a CEPA briefing ahead of the NATO summit. "And if that is over emphasized, you're going to have a clash with the U.S.," Volker added. The stakes are high as allies meet in The Hague in the Netherlands on June 24-25, given ongoing conflict in Ukraine and war in the Middle East threatening to destabilize the global economy. Defense analysts say this year's meeting could be the most consequential in the alliance's 77-year history, with the U.S.' spend-pushing heavily forewarned before the summit. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was emphatic as he said 5% "will happen" at a separate NATO gathering earlier this month, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also widely plugging that message to allies too. Defense spending has been a thorny subject for NATO members for years, and a persistent source of annoyance and anger for Trump, who was demanding that allies double their spending goals from 2% to 4% of GDP all the way back in 2018. NATO defense expenditure has nevertheless sharply picked up among NATO members since Trump was last in power. Back then, and arguably at the height of the White House leader's irritation with the bloc, only six member states met the 2% target, including the U.S. Times have changed, however; by 2024, 23 members had reached the 2% threshold, according to NATO data. While some greatly surpassed that target — such as Poland, Estonia, the U.S., Latvia and Greece — major economies including Canada, Spain and Italy have lagged below the contribution threshold. No NATO member has so far reached the 5% spending objective, and some are highly likely to drag their feet when it comes to getting to that milestone now. The U.K., Poland and Germany have already said they intend to increase defense spending to the requisite target, but their timeline is unclear. The UK is also reportedly trying to delay the spending rise among by three years, according to the i newspaper. CNBC has reached out to Downing Street for comment. Spain and Italy are seen as major holdouts against the 5% target, after only committing to reach the 2% threshold in 2025. Canada meanwhile spent 1.3% of GDP on defense in 2024, NATO estimates suggest, even less than Italy, Portugal or Montenegro. Spending 5% on defense is a target, but not a given, Jason Israel, senior fellow for the Defense Technology Initiative at CEPA, said Wednesday. "Every single country ... is trying to figure out how they're going to thread that needle of being able to make the commitment, but also make the accounting work when every single nation has to make trade offs against what is generally unpopular, massive increases in defense spending," he noted, stressing it's a "long way from commitments ... to actual capability," European aerospace and defense companies are following NATO spending commentary and commitments closely, but say they're stuck in limbo between pledges and action by way of concrete government procurement. The leaders of Leonardo, Embraer and Saab told CNBC last week the continent needs to act decisively and collectively to make long-term commitments to defense spending and investment contracts to enable companies like theirs to scale-up their production capacity and manufacturing capabilities. "If we go for 3.5% [of pure defense spending] across the European part of NATO, that will mean a lot, and more will be needed in terms of capacity. But we need to understand the capability targets better," Micael Johansson, the chief executive of Swedish defense company Saab, told CNBC. "We can do more, and I think we need to come together in Europe to create more scale, also in what we do to align demand, align requirements, so we can actually be competitive player in internationally. So there's a lot to do still," he said. Roberto Cingolani, CEO of Italian defense firm Leonardo, agreed that "there's a lot of work to be done." "Leonardo has a capacity boost program at the moment because we are quite aware of the fact that we have to increase the production of specific platforms, defense systems, electronics and technology solutions. It is not only matter of money, it's matter of priority. It's matter of reducing the fragmentation among countries in Europe," he told CNBC's Charlotte Reed at the Paris Air Show. Defense companies needed to know what will be expected of them ahead of time, Cingolani said, given the complex nature of global supply chains that underpin the defense industry. "We have approximately 5000 companies in the supply chain, and we are in 160 countries in the world. So it's very complicated," he noted. "You have to invest in supply chain. You have to make investments. You have to protect the supply chain. But of course, we also have to face a shortage of raw materials ... There is no no simple solution. If there were a solution, we would have done it already," he said.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former US envoy for Ukraine Volker: Minerals deal won't bring Ukraine money soon but will shift rhetoric in US
Former US Special Envoy for Ukraine Kurt Volker has said that the newly signed Ukraine-US agreement on cooperation in the field of minerals and natural resources will not yield immediate financial results but plays an important political role. Source: Volker on 13 June during the GLOBSEC-2025 forum in Czechia Details: Volker recalled that the agreement involves the creation of a Recovery Fund, which is expected to receive revenues from future natural resource extraction licences in Ukraine. However, he noted that "the reality is: nothing will go into this fund... for years and years". Instead, he explained that the main purpose of the deal is to shift the narrative in the US – moving away from portraying Ukraine as a charity case and towards a vision in which it can "repay" the aid and provide compensation in the future. Volker stated that "the Biden administration has been spending taxpayers' money limitlessly and having no strategy". Meanwhile, now, he added, there is a strategy, and "a way Ukraine can pay them [the US – ed.] back". He stressed that any financial return from this initiative would only be possible after the war ends and following years of investment in the extraction sector. Commenting on the investment outlook, Volker stated that large parts of Ukraine remain safe for business and that many of the barriers to investors stem not from the war but from the country's business climate. Volker said that it is necessary to clearly identify what is hindering economic development and remove these obstacles. Background: On 8 May, Ukraine's parliament ratified the so-called minerals agreement with the US and approved the creation of a joint Ukrainian-American reconstruction investment fund. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the law on 12 May. On 13 May, Ukraine signed two commercial agreements with the US International Development Finance Corporation as part of the implementation of the ratified investment fund deal. On 4 June, Ukraine's parliament approved amendments to the Budget Code to enable the implementation of the US-Ukraine mineral resources agreement. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former US envoy for Ukraine Volker: I don't think we're gonna have peace, we may have ceasefire
Former US Special Envoy for Ukraine Kurt Volker has said that achieving peace with Russia is currently unlikely, but a ceasefire is possible if financial pressure on the Kremlin is increased. Source: Volker on 13 June during the GLOBSEC-2025 forum in Czechia Details: Volker commented on whether US President Donald Trump is important for achieving peace with Russia. "I don't think we're gonna have peace. I do agree with the minister: I think we may have a ceasefire. And what it will take to get to a ceasefire is squeezing Putin's finances so he has a very hard time keeping the Russian state afloat and conducting this war if he doesn't have revenue," he said. Volker said that the United States must ensure a stable supply of weapons to Ukraine, even on a paid basis, without placing an additional burden on American taxpayers. He emphasised that Trump could play a key role in this. Volker stressed the importance of strengthening Ukraine's defence capabilities as soon as possible, as Russia is trying to regroup and strengthen its positions. He added that the world must prepare for a long and tense confrontation over Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine. "No one's going to be trying to attack Russia and defeat Moscow, but we do have to be prepared to have an uneasy stand-off over occupied Ukraine for a long time," he said. Commenting on the new sanctions package currently under consideration in the US Senate, Volker criticised the previous approaches of former US President Joe Biden's administration. "For the first three years of the war, the Biden administration had the sanctions in name, and then exemptions to the sanctions, particularly for payments to Russian banks for energy. They did not want to really squeeze Russian energy supplies, which meant that Putin didn't really face any difficulty," he stressed. Volker said that the new package contained important changes – it maintains key sanctions, imposes restrictions on the shadow fleet, removes exemptions and introduces penalties for those who help Russia circumvent sanctions. "It creates a very strong deterrent. Coupled with an effort to keep global oil prices low, that would also have an impact on Putin's budget," Volker noted. Background: It should be noted that Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, his Democratic colleague Richard Blumenthal and 80 other co-authors have introduced a bill that would impose additional economic sanctions against Russia for refusing to comply with the ceasefire, including a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that purchase Russian oil. The bill also has support in the House of Representatives. However, according to media reports, Trump wants to soften the sanctions in the bill. Publicly, Trump says he will impose new sanctions against Russia if necessary. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Euronews
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Putin wants to meet Trump, but does Trump want to meet Putin?
A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump is "necessary in many ways" but has not been scheduled yet, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. "Such a meeting is clearly on the radar," he added. 'It must be prepared appropriately, and this requires efforts at a variety of expert levels," Peskov said. But what does "efforts" encompass? First and foremost, the Kremlin's commitment to a ceasefire in its war against Ukraine, says Kurt Volker, former US special representative for Ukraine negotiations under Trump. In an interview with Euronews from the Kyiv Security Forum, Volker said the US president would want to meet his Russian counterpart, but only after a ceasefire in Ukraine was in place. "(Trump) wants to end the war, and then he would like to rebuild a relationship with Russia. He thinks that you could reintegrate Russia into a global economy, you could do business deals with Russia, but Putin has to stop the war first," Volker explained. "And as Putin is not doing that, the prospects for a Trump-Putin meeting are looking further and further away.' Volker served as Washington's Ukraine negotiator between 2017 and 2019, when Putin and Trump had their last meetings in Helsinki and then at the G20 gathering in Osaka. Volker says that the Russian president is "trying to play to the ego of President Trump by saying, ok, we can sit down man to man, we can work this out." At the start of his second term, Trump said he would meet Putin "very quickly" after taking office. 'I think President Trump in some ways sees himself as a strong figure able to do that. But he is not happy with Putin failing to end the war. And I that is where this idea of a meeting simply not going to happen unless the circumstances change', Volker said. Volker told Euronews there has consequently been a significant change of heart in Washington regarding Putin's willingness to halt his war against Ukraine. 'It is clear that the US and Ukraine are in alignment in calling for a full ceasefire for 30 days. And that's a stepping-tone to a permanent ceasefire. And Putin is mocking that.' 'He's not serious about actually stopping the fighting. And you do pick up the sense now in Washington that people are recognising that and calling Putin out, if you will, saying that Russia is demanding too much and they are not accepting a ceasefire,' Volker pointed out. Instead, the Russian president announced a three-day "unilateral ceasefire" to protect and secure the Victory Day parade in Moscow on Friday. 'Putin is not serious about a ceasefire. He's not serious about stopping his attacks. I think he wants to make a political gesture here, especially as it aligns with his military parade in Moscow', Volker said, adding that he would be "surprised if he respects even his own ceasefire." The US Vice President JD Vance admitted this week that the talks to put an end to Russia's war against Ukraine are nowhere near Washington's initial expectations. 'Right now, the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they're asking for too much,' Vance said. The US administration now can "toughen its rhetoric about Russia's aggression and their unwillingness to have a ceasefire," Volker told Euronews. This would be the first step followed by "a renewed emphasis on sanctions against Russia," possibly including secondary sanctions "against those who are helping Russia to evade the original sanctions on oil and gas and the financial industry," And most importantly, Washington will continue to supply arms to Ukraine. 'It won't be taxpayer money. That era of appropriations of just giving taxpayer money to fund Ukraine, I think, is over. But I could see loans for Ukraine, a lend-lease policy as we did for the UK in World War II," he added. While he didn't rule out seizing frozen Russian assets and using that to pay for arms to Ukraine, "Canada is moving in that direction, and I would not be surprised if the US does as well," Ambassador Volker concluded.
