Latest news with #RussiaUkraineWar
NHK
an hour ago
- Politics
- NHK
UK Defence Ministry: Israel-Iran conflict gives Russia opportunities, challenges
The British Defence Ministry says the current conflict between Israel and Iran will likely bring both benefits and disadvantages to Russia, which continues its aggression against Ukraine. The ministry posted an analysis on social media on Thursday. It says, "Russia almost certainly perceives some benefit in the conflict as it distracts international focus from its war against Ukraine." The ministry notes, "Russia is under no formal obligation to provide Iran with any military assistance in its conflict with Israel." It points out that the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement signed by the two countries in January does not include a mutual-defense clause. The UK ministry also says the Israel-Iran conflict "will likely negatively impact the future provision of Iranian military equipment to Russia" although Iran has supplied the country with drones, ballistic missiles and artillery munitions.
Free Malaysia Today
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Ukraine fears being sidelined by Iran-Israel war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lays flowers at the site of a Russian missile strike that destroyed a Kyiv apartment block. (AP pic) KYIV : Fighting between Iran and Israel could deflect global attention from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and even bolster Kremlin's war effort, Ukrainian officials say. Israel launched a massive bombing campaign on Iran last week that prompted Tehran – a close ally of Russia – to strike back with missiles and drones. The conflict has pushed up the price of oil – a key revenue stream funding Russia's invasion. 'For Ukraine, the challenge is the price of oil, because if prices remain high for a long time, the Russians will earn more,' a senior Ukrainian political source told AFP. However, Kyiv has welcomed Israeli attacks on a country which has directly aided and provided weapons to Moscow for its own strikes on Ukraine. The campaign has left several high-ranking Iranian military officials dead and put pressure on Tehran's military capacity that is likely to limit the practical support it can provide to Russia. 'The Iranian regime is Russia's ally, so the more they lose, the better,' the Ukrainian source said. 'Overall, Israel is doing the whole world a favour. That is a fact,' the source added. The possibility of weaker support and attention from Washington, however, concerns Kyiv. The administration of US President Donald Trump, Israel's closest ally, has made clear that its security priorities are the Middle East and Asia, with Europe lower on the list. This could mean further Russian advances on the battlefield or deadly aerial attacks will meet with a muted reaction from a White House that already sees the Ukraine conflict mainly as a European problem. Kyiv's efforts to lobby for more support from Washington have been complicated by tense relations between Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian leader. Zelensky recently told journalists that Trump was 'obsessed with Iran' and conceded that its bombing campaign with Israel spelt risks for Kyiv. 'No one is claiming to have a relationship more important than America and Israel, but we would like to see the aid to Ukraine would not be reduced because of this,' he said. He referred to Israel's war in Gaza that was sparked by a deadly Oct 7, 2023 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas, as a precedent for this. 'It was a factor that slowed down assistance to Ukraine,' he added. In an interview with US media, the Ukrainian leader said at the beginning of this month that Washington could send '20,000' missiles needed by for Ukraine to shoot down Russian drones to the Middle East instead. Senior officials in Zelensky's office told AFP after the outbreak of the war in Gaza that it had spurred Ukraine to focus to developing its own arms industry. Russia has rained down thousands of drones and missiles on Ukraine since it launched its full-scale invasion early in 2022, including Iranian-made and designed projectiles. Israel has claimed to have attacked production sites in Iran, which has also launched silos of missiles at Israel that now cannot be sent to Russia for attacks on Ukraine. 'Let's hope that the corresponding production or transfer (of weapons) to the Russians will decrease. This helps Ukraine,' Zelensky said. The British defence ministry said Iran's supply of weapons to Russia could slow as a result of Tehran's war with Israel. But it said global focus on the Middle East could overall help Moscow. 'Russia almost certainly perceives some benefit in the conflict as it distracts international focus from its war against Ukraine,' it said on social media. Moscow also produces its own drones and missiles, and has received projectiles from North Korea. Ukrainian military analyst and blogger Sergiy Sternenko was among voices to issue caution against celebrating the attacks on Iran. 'Do not rush to get too excited about the strikes on Iran. Of course, Iran is our enemy, and we wish these pigs the worst. But fighting in the Middle East will inevitably lead to higher oil prices,' he wrote.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
After Trump's departure, G7 leaders fail to reach agreements on key issues
The G7 summit of world leaders in Canada, which U.S. President Donald Trump departed early, did not yield major agreements on matters such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Iran war, the Associated Press claimed. The G7, which involves the nations of France, the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada, plus the European Union, did issue a statement regarding the Israel-Iran conflict. In the statement on Monday, G7 leaders recognized Israel's right to self-defense, called Iran "the principal source of regional instability and terror," and asserted that the country "can never have a nuclear weapon." "We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza," the statement notes. "We will remain vigilant to the implications for international energy markets and stand ready to coordinate, including with like-minded partners, to safeguard market stability." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted in a tweet on Monday evening that "President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Much was accomplished, but because of what's going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State." World figures met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was in the mix, photos show. "Addressing the G7 Summit, I emphasized that Russia is ignoring every diplomatic offer made by the international community. Diplomacy is in crisis. There is one clear reason – Putin has openly rejected every peace initiative," Zelenskyy said in a Tuesday post on X, kicking off a lengthy thread. The president of the embattled Eastern European nation pressed countries to keep urging Trump to wield his influence to "force" Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war. "It's crucial to have $40 billion annually in budgetary support for Ukraine – to ensure our resilience and the ability of our country to carry on. This should be a joint decision by G7 leaders, including the U.S.," Zelenskyy said in another post in the thread. "Together, we must continue urging President Trump to use the influence he really has – to force Putin to end this war. It was the U.S. and President Trump who proposed a ceasefire, the resumption of diplomacy, immediate meetings and negotiations. But Russia has blocked every effort," he declared in another post. In a statement to Fox News Digital on Wednesday, White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly noted, "As President Trump has proven time and again, he is willing to work with anyone to advance American interests and make our world safer. Countries around the world ultimately look to President Trump for leadership."
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Ukraine's Zelenskyy Visits Austria for First Time Since Russia's Full-Scale Invasion of His Country
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting Austria on Monday in his first trip to the European Union member country since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Austria is famously neutral–a stance it declared in 1955 after World War II–and Vienna has come under heavy criticism since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war for maintaining ties with Moscow. Ukraine's air force said Russia fired 138 strike and decoy drones at Ukraine overnight, mainly at the eastern Donetsk region. Of those, 125 were either intercepted or jammed, while 10 reached their targets. Eight others caused damage as falling debris. Zelenskyy was scheduled to meet with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen and Chancellor Christian Stocker, and the two presidents were set to hold a news conference later Monday. This is Stocker's first high-profile visit from a foreign dignitary since he took office in March at the head of a previously untried three-party coalition after a record five-month wait for a new administration. Zelenskyy's wife, First Lady Olena Zelenska, and Doris Schmidauer, Van der Bellen's spouse, will also host a discussion about the role of women in promoting peace and security during the trip. Austria, which was annexed by Nazi Germany in the run-up to World War II, declared neutrality after the war under pressure from Western allies and the Soviet Union. It sought a role as a mediator between East and West, developing ties with Moscow that outlasted the Cold War. The Austrian government has condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine but also stressed the need to maintain diplomatic relations with Moscow. Vienna has sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine but no weapons. Former Chancellor Karl Nehammer was the first EU leader to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin face-to-face after the war started. Nehammer traveled to Moscow in April 2022 in a fruitless attempt to persuade the Russian leader to end the invasion.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Ukraine's Zelenskyy visits Austria for first time since Russia's full-scale invasion of his country
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting Austria on Monday in his first trip to the European Union member country since Russia 's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Austria is famously neutral — a stance it declared in 1955 after World War II — and Vienna has come under heavy criticism since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war for maintaining ties with Moscow. Ukraine's air force said Russia fired 138 strike and decoy drones at Ukraine overnight, mainly at the eastern Donetsk region. Of those, 125 were either intercepted or jammed, while 10 reached their targets. Eight others caused damage as falling debris. Zelenskyy was scheduled to meet with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen and Chancellor Christian Stocker, and the two presidents were set to hold a news conference later Monday. This is Stocker's first high-profile visit from a foreign dignitary since he took office in March at the head of a previously untried three-party coalition after a record five-month wait for a new administration. Zelenskyy's wife, First Lady Olena Zelenska, and Doris Schmidauer, Van der Bellen's spouse, will also host a discussion about the role of women in promoting peace and security during the trip. Austria, which was annexed by Nazi Germany in the run-up to World War II, declared neutrality after the war under pressure from Western allies and the Soviet Union. It sought a role as a mediator between East and West, developing ties with Moscow that outlasted the Cold War. The Austrian government has condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine but also stressed the need to maintain diplomatic relations with Moscow. Vienna has sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine but no weapons. Former Chancellor Karl Nehammer was the first EU leader to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin face-to-face after the war started. Nehammer traveled to Moscow in April 2022 in a fruitless attempt to persuade the Russian leader to end the invasion.
