Latest news with #arms
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
U.N. report cites 'flagrant' violations by Russia and North Korea
July 17 (UPI) -- Russian and North Korean officials violated U.N. resolutions regarding arms, troops and refined petroleum shipments throughout 2024 and beyond, a U.N. report says. Evidence shows North Korea many times shipped arms and material to Russia, which trained North Korean troops for combat against Ukrainian forces, Seth Bailey, the U.S. State Department's director for Korean and Mongolian Affairs, told U.N. members on Thursday. In exchange, Russia shipped refined petroleum products, military equipment and military technology to North Korea, Bailey said. The actions by both nations violate U.N. resolutions, as outlined in a 29-page U.N. report compiled by its Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team and published on May 29. The report focuses on illegal military cooperation between North Korea and Russia and says the "rapid expansion of military, political and economic cooperation' between the two nations has caused "ongoing flagrant violations" of U.N. Security Council resolutions. "Throughout 2024, North Korea and Russia engaged in myriad unlawful activities explicitly prohibited" by the United Nations, the report says. The violations include the transfer of arms and material, including artillery, ballistic missiles and combat vehicles, from North Korea to Russia via sea, air and rail. North Korea also sent troops to Russia, which the Russian military trained for direct support in its war against Ukraine, according to the report. Russia also has shipped refined petroleum products to North Korea that "far exceed the yearly United Nations Security Council-mandated cap," with payments processed via banking relations between Russia and North Korea. "These forms of unlawful cooperation between [North Korea]and Russia contributed to Moscow's ability to increase its missile attacks against Ukrainian cities, including targeted strikes against critical civilian infrastructure," the report says. Russia's assistance has enabled North Korea to fund its military programs and continue developing its ballistic missiles program, which is banned by the United Nations. North Korea also "gains first-hand experience in modern warfare in return for its military support to Russia against Ukraine," the report says. Such military support includes the deployment of 11,000 North Korean troops to Russia since October. "The official confirmation of North Korean military support to Russia by both governments in April 2025 suggests that, at least for the foreseeable future, North Korea and Russia intend to continue and further deepen their military cooperation in contravention of relevant UNSCRs," according to the report. Solve the daily Crossword
Arab News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Russia says Trump's new weapons pledge a signal for Ukraine to abandon peace efforts
MOSCOW: US President Donald Trump's decision to ramp up arms shipments to Ukraine is a signal to Kyiv to abandon peace efforts, Russia said on Thursday, vowing it would not accept the 'blackmail' of Washington's new sanctions ultimatum. Trump announced a toughened stance on Russia's war in Ukraine on Monday, setting a 50-day deadline for Moscow to reach a ceasefire or face sanctions. The US also promised more missiles and other weaponry for Kyiv. Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, condemned the move. 'It is obvious that the Kyiv regime consistently perceives such decisions by the collective West as a signal to continue the slaughter and abandon the peace process,' Zakharova told a news briefing in Moscow. Russia's all-out war against Ukraine in February, 2022, has led to Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War Two, with the United States estimating that 1.2 million people have been injured or killed. Moscow says it was forced to launch the war to protect itself from an expanding NATO. Ukraine and most Western governments call Russia's war a colonial-style land grab. Russian forces now control around one fifth of Ukrainian territory and are slowly but steadily advancing across a vast frontline, sustaining what the US believes are heavy losses along the way. Trump, who has made ending the conflict a priority of his administration, is threatening '100 percent tariffs on Russia' and secondary sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil if Moscow does not agree to a ceasefire deal by his 50-day deadline. 'An unprecedented number of sanctions and restrictions have been imposed on our country and our international partners. There are so many of them that we view the threat of new sanctions as mundane,' Zakharova said. 'The language of ultimatums, blackmail, and threats is unacceptable to us. We will take all necessary steps to ensure the security and protect the interests of our country.' 'PROXY WAR' Both Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Trump have repeatedly cautioned over the escalatory risks of the conflict, which they cast as a proxy war between the world's two biggest nuclear powers. US efforts to broker peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, however, have faced repeated setbacks. Russia says it is ready to hold further talks, but has made it clear it wants all of the territory of four Ukrainian regions it has claimed as its own — terms which Ukraine say are unacceptable and would amount to a capitulation. Moscow is also keen to revive its battered bilateral relationship with the United States if possible, though Trump's latest moves on Ukraine have soured the atmosphere. Trump said on Monday that he was 'very unhappy' and 'disappointed' with Putin and cast his decision to send more arms to Ukraine as intended to jolt Russia toward peace. Reuters reported on Tuesday that Putin intends to keep fighting in Ukraine until the West engages on his terms for peace, unfazed by threats of tougher sanctions, and that his territorial demands may widen as Russian forces advance. Earlier on Thursday, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia had no plans to attack NATO or Europe. But he said it should respond and, if necessary, launch preemptive strikes if it believed the West was escalating what he cast as its full-scale war against Russia. 'We need to act accordingly. To respond in full. And if necessary, launch preemptive strikes,' Medvedev was quoted as saying. The remarks by Medvedev, reported in full by the TASS state news agency, indicate that Moscow sees the confrontation with the West over Ukraine escalating after Trump's latest decisions. 'What is happening today is a proxy war, but in essence it is a full-scale war (launches of Western missiles, satellite intelligence, etc.), sanctions packages, loud statements about the militarization of Europe,' Medvedev said, according to TASS.
Wall Street Journal
6 days ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
This New Missile-Defense System Is Challenging the Patriot
The Patriot air-defense system is lauded by militaries around the world for its ability to shoot down deadly drones and missiles. Now, a new version of a European weapon is set to challenge its dominance and test whether the region can wean itself off U.S. arms.
Russia Today
6 days ago
- Business
- Russia Today
Italy won't buy US arms for Ukraine
Italy's budget doesn't allow it to participate in US President Donald Trump's plan to supply American arms to Ukraine, the Italian newspaper La Stampa reports, citing anonymous sources. On Monday, Trump authorized new weapons deliveries to Ukraine, given that European NATO members provide funding, calling it a 'very big deal.' La Stampa said in an article on Wednesday that the strategy of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has already agreed to purchase several Patriot surface-to-air missile systems for Ukraine, 'will not be pursued by Italy.' According to the paper's sources, Rome will be opting out of the scheme 'not only because our weapon systems already handed over to Kiev have other technological configurations, but above all because – unlike Germany – the budget that Italy can allocate to such an operation is practically non-existent.' The only arms purchase from the US currently planned by Italy is the delivery of a batch of F35 fighter jets scheduled for the 2030s, the sources added. Politico reported on Tuesday, citing two French officials, that Paris would not be purchasing US weapons for Kiev as France is looking to invest in its own defense industry to meet European security needs. The same day, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala told Publico outlet that Prague is also currently 'not considering' joining the initiative. The country 'is focusing on other… ways to help Ukraine,' he explained. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas earlier welcomed Trump's pledge to send more weapons to Ukraine, but urged Washington to 'share the burden' in terms of financing the deliveries. Washington, meanwhile, has threatened to impose secondary US tariffs of up to 100% on Russia's trading partners unless progress toward a peace agreement between Moscow and Kiev is made within 50 days. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that it is hard to predict how effective the weapons financing scheme would turn out due to Western Europe's 'emotional state bordering on inadequacy' over the Ukraine conflict. European NATO members appear to be ready 'to spend countless amounts of money on purchasing weapons in order to further provoke the continuation of the war,' he said.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Extent of new US lethal arms package to Ukraine revealed
By NATO Secretary Mark Rutte said the new flow of arms form the U.S. to Ukraine will be 'massive' – with further munitions packages to follow following talks with President Trump. Rutte described the package in comments to the Daily Mail as he briefed lawmakers on a scheme to use the new financing proposal to funnel lethal weaponry to Ukraine as it staves off repeated Russian drone and missile attacks. The former Dutch PM is meeting with lawmakers still assessing President Donald Trump 's sudden U-turn on Ukraine – if the president applying new pressure on Moscow even while continuing to say American taxpayers have borne too much of the burden, and has publicly refused to pick sides in the war. 'How do you say it in English? Infinite – it's not finite,' Rutte told the Daily Mail between meetings in the Senate. 'This will be packages designed … to make sure that Ukrainians get a handle what they need, of course, taking into account what US can deliver, because you also still have to make sure that you have enough stuff and gear here to defend yourselves,' he said. 'But this is potentially massive. And not only air defense, it is also missiles and ammunition,' he added. He stressed that the proposal is designed to make sure that 'you have enough in stock for yourself,' amid concerns among top Pentagon officials who ordered a temporary pause to aid while it assessed U.S. stockpiles. He said the 'potentially massive air defense, plus missiles and ammunition' packages still had to be arranged at the granular level. 'But NATO is good at this, because we have designed these packages over three and a half years now with Ukrainian.' Rutte spoke a day after meeting with Trump in the office . The president deferred to Rutte in response to a question by the Daily Mail about whether there was a ceiling on what the Europeans are willing to meet. 'It's not that you can have a shopping list and you can order whatever you want, because the U.S. has to make sure that the U.S. keeps his hands on what US needs also to keep the whole world safe. Because in the end, you are the police agent of the whole world.' He brought up Germany and other major NATO allies 'talking about big numbers.' 'They are really enthusiastic about this. They're willing to go very far, I will tell you,' Trump added. As he left the White House today, Trump denied a key element of Financial Times report that Trump had a fiery conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky July 4 where he encouraged the Ukrainian to strike deep inside Russian territory. 'Volodymyr, can you hit Moscow? Can you hit St Petersburg too?' Trump asked his counterpart, according to the report. Asked if Zelensky should target Moscow, Trump replied: 'No, he shouldn't target Moscow.' Trump defended his latest statements toward Russia – that he will impose 'secondary tariffs' after 50 days if there is no deal with Moscow.
