Latest news with #WilliamTaylor
SBS Australia
15-07-2025
- Business
- SBS Australia
New weapons deal for Ukraine: 'There will be more' says Rutte
"Pardon me for being late. We had a great meeting with NATO, the secretary general, and we're going to do something a little different for this country. We're going to supply weapons to NATO at a large amount. They're going to deliver the weapons and they're going to pay for 100% of the weapons." United States President Donald Trump says the US is going to send more advanced weaponry to Ukraine, and it will be European countries footing the bill. In what could be his strongest show of support for Ukraine yet, the US President is also threatening to impose 100 per cent 'secondary' tariffs on buyers of Russian exports. Former US Ambassador to Ukraine and Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council, William B. Taylor, says Mr Trump is growing weary of the Russian President. 'Well I think President Trump has figured out that (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin has been stringing him along, has been tapping him along as President Trump had said earlier. That President Putin is not serious about any kind of an agreement, a ceasefire (as) President Trump had thought he might be.' The weapons deal, paired with Mr Trump's expression of mounting frustrations with Russia, signals a shifting tone from the administration in its policy towards Ukraine. The threat of sanctions on Russia came with a 50-day grace period in which Vladimir Putin can accept a peace deal. White House officials say the plan is expected to be a 100 per cent tax on the import of Russian goods, along with secondary 100 per cent tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil, gas and other energy products. But, Mr Trump says he hopes it doesn't get to that stage. "I've been hearing so much talk, talk, talk. It's all talk and then missiles go into Kyiv and kill 60 people. It's got to stop. It's got to stop. But the purpose of this is to say that this is a very big deal we have made. This is billions of dollars worth of military equipment is going to be purchased from the United States, going to NATO, etc., and that's going to be quickly distributed to the battlefield." Among the weapons included in the deal will be Patriot missile systems, which Ukraine has been urgently requesting and see as crucial to their air defence capabilities. The Patriot Missile System is considered one of the most advanced air defence systems in the US arsenal and can intercept aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. Russia has been scaling up attacks in recent weeks, breaking several of its own records for the volume of drones launched into Ukraine in a single night. William B. Taylor says Ukraine wants the systems to defend from Russia's escalating long range attacks. 'Ukrainians do have Patriot missile systems and they know how to use them. They use them very well. They use them very effectively. They know the value of these Patriot systems and others. So they are, they're very eager to get more of them because they don't have enough.' Under the deal, the United States would sell Patriot air defense missiles to NATO members, which would then supply them to Ukraine. NATO Secretary Mark Rutte says Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada all wanted to be a part of rearming Ukraine. He says the deal will allow Ukraine to access huge military stockpiles sooner. 'This is building on the tremendous success of the NATO Summit, the 5 per cent, but also the decision to keep Ukraine strong and the decision to increase our defense industrial production. So based on this, that was Europe stepping up. This is again Europeans stepping up. So I've been in contact with many countries. I can tell you at this moment Germany massively, but also Finland and Denmark and Sweden and Norway, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Canada, they all want to be part of this. And this is only the first wave; there will be more." Throughout his second term, Donald Trump has been pushing for Europe to increase military spending and contribute more to Ukraine's defence efforts. European allies have been urging Washington to ensure any scaling back of military support is coordinated to prevent gaps that may leave NATO members vulnerable to Russian aggression. Mr Taylor says this latest announcement could be beneficial to both the US and Europe. 'The Americans and the Europeans are teaming up in a mutually beneficial way, are teaming up to supply the Ukrainians with the weapons that they need over the longer term. So Putin is going to have to realize over the 50 days or sooner that he's not winning and can't win. And he can't wait us out. That's his only strategy. That's what his only strategy…to try to wait out the the Ukrainians or wait out the Europeans or wait out the Americans. Well, these sanctions and these weapons demonstrate to Putin that he can't wait this out. And then he may have to come to the table and strike a deal. In Kyiv, some residents are expressing cautious optimism over the announcement. While holding out hope for an end to the war, Ukrainians like Artem Horchakov say it is difficult to know how close a deal really is. "Maybe it lifts the mood of society as a whole. He just said a lot, and if there was some result, maybe his words would have been more weighty. And he said and said, people say a lot. Let's see how it goes. Let's hope for the best. I hope that everything will be the way we want. And we want peace, for the war in Ukraine to end, and for all the guys to return alive. Because my father is also a soldier, my friends are military, this affects every family, and me too." In Moscow, Russians like Marina say more weapons will only bring about further destruction. "Very bad, it means a new round of war is beginning. It won't bring anything good to anyone, not to us, not to them, and not to the whole world. It won't be good. People on their side, on our side, will also die and suffer. We don't want that, we just want good neighbourly relations. And don't scare the world with war. We are not war, we are peace."
Al Arabiya
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
NATO's future, Iran-Israel ceasefire, and US political roundup
In this episode of Global News Today, presented by Tom Burges Watson, we cover the key takeaways from the NATO summit, the fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel, and our weekly look back at US politics. As the summit wraps, we break down the major outcomes, divisions, and defense spending challenges shaping NATO's future – especially its ties with the United States. Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and Israel have eased, with a shaky ceasefire holding after 12 days of conflict. We examine competing claims about the true impact on Iran's nuclear facilities. Guests: William Taylor – Former US Ambassador to Ukraine
The Age
23-06-2025
- The Age
Parents ‘lonely and empty' after son killed by speeding teen driver
Denise Taylor agonises over her son's final moments. 'Did he know what was about to happen to him?' she asked, her voice cracking with emotion, as she spoke at the Victorian County Court on Monday. 'What were his final thoughts? Did he suffer?' The mother of William Taylor detailed her heartbreak and grief in a harrowing victim impact statement at a plea hearing for the unlicensed teenage driver who killed her son in a high-speed crash. The 18-year-old, who cannot be named because he was a minor at the time of the crash last July, pleaded guilty to charges including culpable driving causing the death of data analyst Taylor, 28. The Ashburton man died on his way to soccer training when the stolen Jeep Cherokee crammed with six teenagers, collided with his Toyota Corolla at the intersection of Warrigal Road and Highbury Road in Burwood. The Jeep, being driven at up to 120km/h, continued on for about 50 metres before hitting a tree. A nearby driver later told police he saw the teens, including the driver, running down the street as he fled the crash.
Sydney Morning Herald
23-06-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Parents ‘lonely and empty' after son killed by speeding teen driver
Denise Taylor agonises over her son's final moments. 'Did he know what was about to happen to him?' she asked, her voice cracking with emotion, as she spoke at the Victorian County Court on Monday. 'What were his final thoughts? Did he suffer?' The mother of William Taylor detailed her heartbreak and grief in a harrowing victim impact statement at a plea hearing for the unlicensed teenage driver who killed her son in a high-speed crash. The 18-year-old, who cannot be named because he was a minor at the time of the crash last July, pleaded guilty to charges including culpable driving causing the death of data analyst Taylor, 28. The Ashburton man died on his way to soccer training when the stolen Jeep Cherokee crammed with six teenagers, collided with his Toyota Corolla at the intersection of Warrigal Road and Highbury Road in Burwood. The Jeep, being driven at up to 120km/h, continued on for about 50 metres before hitting a tree. A nearby driver later told police he saw the teens, including the driver, running down the street as he fled the crash.
ABC News
23-06-2025
- ABC News
Family of Melbourne crash victim William Taylor tell court his death was 'completely avoidable'
The mother of a 28-year-old man killed in a crash involving a stolen vehicle in Melbourne's south-east last year has told a court his death "should never have happened". William Taylor was driving to soccer training on the evening of July 2, 2024, when a stolen vehicle driven by a 17-year-old boy collided with his car in Burwood. Expert analysis found the stolen car was travelling at 129 kph in a 60 kph zone in the seconds before the collision. The male driver, who has since turned 18 but cannot be named for legal reasons, subsequently pleaded guilty to a number of driving and theft charges and faced a sentencing hearing in the County Court today. Mr Taylor's mother, Denise Taylor, sobbed as she read a victim impact statement to the court. She said there was "no pain relief available" for the "huge emptiness" she felt following the death of her son, "just grief and a huge sense of loss". "He did nothing wrong, but was cruelly and horrifically killed in an event that was completely avoidable," she said. Ms Taylor and her husband, Nick Taylor, were overseas when their eldest son rang to inform them of the 28-year-old's death. Nick Taylor described his son as an intelligent, gentle and thoughtful person who was sorely missed. "It still feels so raw, and thoughts of Will still dominate my days and nights," he said. "His tragic loss will forever be a part of who I am." The 28-year-old's girlfriend, Dennise Loyo, also addressed the court, saying his death had "shattered" her world. "This sadness I feel every day follows me wherever I go," she said. "Every day I cry. I'm constantly grieving the future I will never have with the love of my life." The then-17-year-old driver was on bail at the time of the crash for other theft-related offences but had not yet been convicted of them. The court heard the stolen vehicle had five passengers, aged 15 to 19, who later told police they repeatedly urged the driver to slow down. Defence barrister Christin Tom told the court the passengers were "screaming for him to stop" but the driver instead turned the music up "so loud no-one could be heard". No-one in the stolen vehicle was injured. The occupants of the stolen vehicle allegedly fled the scene but a witness managed to stop two of the passengers, who were arrested and interviewed by police. The accused made his way home and was in bed when police attended his house as part of his bail conditions. He was arrested the following day. Mr Tom told the court his client came from a "secure, stable and loving family" but was "exposed to people and behaviours online that changed his life's trajectory" during COVID-era lockdowns. "He began to socialise with peers outside of his school community, some older than him, and people online, and they engaged in anti-social behaviour," Mr Tom said. The barrister read from a statement from the driver's mother saying she lost "the son I knew long before the accident". "He slipped away and was replaced by a teenager I failed to recognise," he read. Mr Tom submitted his client had shown genuine remorse and understood the gravity of his actions. He read from a psychiatric report that quoted the driver saying words couldn't describe his regret and he had "visions of that accident every day". Mr Tom submitted his client would be likely to adopt antisocial attitudes and behaviours if sentenced to an adult prison and argued that a youth justice facility would be more appropriate. The 18-year-old's bail has been extended until the matter returns to court in August.
