Latest news with #UkraineSupport
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Business
- Russia Today
Russia sanctions bill postponed in US Senate
A bipartisan US Senate bill seeking to impose steep tariffs on nations that purchase Russian energy is unlikely to be debated this month, Semafor reported on Tuesday, citing senior lawmakers. The bill, co-sponsored by Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, proposes a 500% tariff on US imports from countries that continue to buy Russian oil and gas unless they actively support Ukraine. The lawmakers had pressed for its passage ahead of the G7 summit in Canada, reiterating the push as recently as Sunday. The summit concluded on Tuesday, with President Donald Trump departing early and forgoing a meeting with Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky. The bill is 'going to have to wait a bit,' Graham told Semafor, citing the escalation of violence in the Middle East since the Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last Friday. 'That doesn't mean I've forgotten about Russia or Ukraine. Not at all.' Semafor also referred to remarks by Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Tuesday, who suggested that a 'July timeframe' for the bill is likely. Alongside concerns about the Middle East crisis, congressional focus is currently directed at Trump's proposals for federal spending and tax cuts. Trump, who has said he may introduce new sanctions on Russia, has so far resisted pressure to act quickly. He reiterated his cautious approach in remarks at the G7 summit in Alberta. 'When I sanction a country, that costs the US a lot of money – a tremendous amount of money,' he said. 'It's not just, let's sign a document. You're talking about billions and billions of dollars. Sanctions are not that easy. It's not just a one-way street.' Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal claimed that the White House was lobbying senators to revise the bill, aiming to shift key provisions to grant the president discretion over sanctions rather than imposing automatic penalties. The Trump administration is reportedly concerned that the legislation could undercut its efforts to improve US-Russia relations. Russian officials have dismissed the threat of additional sanctions, saying no amount of external pressure or military aid to Kiev will alter Russia's objectives in the Ukraine conflict.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
PM denies coalition of the willing is dead as UK pushes for lower Russian oil cap
Talks to tighten the oil price cap on Russia are ongoing, Sir Keir Starmer said as he denied his plans for a so-called 'coalition of the willing' to protect Ukraine were dead. The Prime Minister said he 'strongly' believes that restrictions on the price of Russian crude oil should be strengthened to deplete the revenues Vladimir Putin uses to fund his war machine. The UK announced sanctions on 30 fresh targets linked to the Kremlin on Tuesday in a bid to ramp up pressure on Moscow as it continues resist calls for an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine. A wider package of measures which Sir Keir suggested would be forthcoming from allies gathered at the G7 summit in Canada is yet to materialise after splits opened up in the approach to Russia on Monday. Downing Street said Britain also plans to 'move with partners to tighten the oil price cap' after the group of the world's wealthiest countries agreed in 2022 to restrict the price Russian crude oil to 60 dollars a barrel. Speaking to reporters with him in Kananaskis, Sir Keir was asked whether such a move would be possible without the backing of the US, which has indicated its reluctance to impose further sanctions on Moscow. 'Obviously today we're going to focus on Ukraine,' Sir Keir said. 'We've got President (Volodymyr) Zelensky coming in. We're putting in extra sanctions today, including sanctions on the shadow fleet. 'Others will be doing, similar actions in coming days. And so that does ramp up the pressure. 'On the oil price, obviously, we're still looking at how we're going to make that work. But I strongly believe that we have to put those sanctions in place. We're having those discussions with President Zelensky today.' Before abruptly leaving the summit on Monday, US President Donald Trump suggested he wanted to wait to 'see whether or not a deal is done' with Ukraine before targeting the Kremlin with further action. His remarks are awkward for Sir Keir, with whom he appeared to announce the completion of the US-UK deal, after the Prime Minister said G7 allies would seek to target Russian energy revenues. Talks to broker a possible peace in Ukraine have stalled as Moscow continues to pound the country with missile and drone attacks and holds out on US-backed proposals for an unconditional truce. Meanwhile, the UK and France have been leading efforts to assemble a so-called 'coalition of the willing' made up of nations prepared to send peacekeeping troops to Kyiv to enforce a potential truce. Asked whether those plans were dead in the water, Sir Keir told reporters: 'On the coalition of the willing, no, not at all. That is obviously intended to answer the question, how do you ensure that if a deal is reached, a deal is kept so it's a lasting deal? 'Because the concern, has always been, that there have been deals, if you like, before, Putin has then subsequently breached them. 'So how do you stop that happening again? And the military planning is still going on, as you would expect, so that, when the time comes, we're ready to act.' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is attending the G7 conference in Kananaskis, along with leaders from Canada, the US, France, Italy, Japan, Germany and Britain. The Russian invasion will be at the top of the agenda on Tuesday. Earlier, the UK announced sanctions targeting 20 oil tankers in Russia's shadow fleet, as well as measures to tighten the net around companies managing the vessels, Orion Star Group LLC and Valegro LLC-FZ. Britain also targeted two UK residents – Vladimir Pristoupa and Olech Tkacz – who the Government said had operated 'a shadowy network of shell companies' aiding Moscow. The branch of the Russian defence ministry leading the country's underwater intelligence gathering operations, known as Gugi, has also been sanctioned. Sir Keir said: 'These sanctions strike right at the heart of Putin's war machine, choking off his ability to continue his barbaric war in Ukraine. 'We know that our sanctions are hitting hard, so while Putin shows total disregard for peace, we will not hesitate to keep tightening the screws. 'The threat posed by Russia cannot be underestimated, so I'm determined to take every step necessary to protect our national security and keep our country safe and secure.'
Globe and Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Canada announces $4.3-billion in new support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia's ‘shadow fleet'
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced $4.3-billion in new Canadian support for Ukraine and new sanctions targeting the 'shadow fleet' of vessels that Russia is using to skirt international trade restrictions. The measures include $2-billion in military support for Kyiv, including funds for drones, ammunition and armoured vehicles, as well as a $2.3-billion loan to help Ukraine rebuild public infrastructure shattered by years of Russian bombing. This is Canada's first substantive support for Ukraine since Mr. Carney became prime minister in March. The Prime Minister's Office said the money was tucked into Ottawa's big defence spending hike unveiled earlier this month but not announced until Tuesday. The 'shadow fleet' sanctions follow similar measures unveiled by Britain and the European Union in recent years. These vessels are used sell Russian oil to raise money for Moscow, now into the fourth year of its war on Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky came to the summit looking for more help and tougher sanctions on Moscow. Hopes for a united show of support were dashed by Donald Trump who quit the meeting Monday after making another pitch to bring Russia back into the G7 fold. Mr. Zelensky made his pitch Tuesday morning to other G7 leaders even as Ukraine's capital of Kyiv recovers from the deadliest attack by Russia in months. An overnight Russian missile and drone bombardment of Ukraine killed 15 people and injured 156, local officials said Tuesday, with the main barrage demolishing a nine-story Kyiv apartment building in the deadliest attack on the capital this year. Mr. Carney expressed sympathy for victims of the latest Russian attack. 'This underscores the importance of staying in total solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,' he said. He said G7 leaders discussed Ukraine Monday night. 'We underscored the importance of using maximum pressure against Russia, who has refused to come to the table.' Mr. Zelensky thanked Mr. Carney for applying the new sanctions and offering additional military support. He called the Russian attack overnight 'a big tragedy for' Ukraine. 'Really it was a big attack on civilian infrastructure. On people. Just people, houses.' Mr. Trump earlier this month suggested peace is not his priority in Ukraine right now and that the two sides may just need to 'keep fighting' before a ceasefire is possible. On Monday, he renewed his pitch to expand the G7. 'I think you wouldn't have a war right now if you had Russia in,' Mr. Trump said of the Group of Seven. 'You spend so much time talking about Russia, and he's no longer at the table, With reports from Campbell Clark and Associated Press
CNA
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
G7 faces challenges but shows unexpected unity on Iran and Ukraine: Analyst
Aurel Braun, Professor of International Relations at the University of Toronto, tells CNA about the complex dynamics facing the Group of Seven summit. He highlights the emerging unity on addressing Iran's nuclear threat alongside ongoing challenges in maintaining support for Ukraine.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Joint Statement by Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Starmer
OTTAWA, ON, June 15, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, and Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK), met in Ottawa to reaffirm the profound friendship and shared values that unite both nations. The Canada-UK partnership, rooted in a common history and enduring people-to-people ties, continues to grow stronger, with a focus on delivering prosperity and security for the working people of Canada and the UK alike. The two leaders discussed the many geopolitical challenges currently facing the world, including in the Middle East and tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, and reaffirmed their steadfast support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression. The two leaders underscored the importance of a fair, open and predictable global trading system; reiterated their commitment to a rules-based international order underpinned by respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity; and committed to advancing peace and trans-Atlantic security. They agreed the following joint initiatives aimed at strengthening economic growth and prosperity and enhancing collective security and defence: Growth and Innovation Partnership Canada and the UK are committed to delivering economic growth for their people. The two Prime Ministers today announced further collaboration on trade, science, technology and innovation. Through their Partnership, Canada and the UK will work together to: Trade: Strengthen trade ties as trusted, reliable partners. This will include expanding trade under the Canada-UK Trade Continuity Agreement. We will establish a new structured UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group to deepen our existing trading relationship further, including to address existing market access barriers, to expand existing arrangements into new areas, such as digital trade, and to explore cooperation in the development of critical minerals and sovereign artificial intelligence infrastructure. The working group will report back to both Prime Ministers within six months. Canada will seek to introduce legislation this autumn to ratify the UK's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership. Semiconductors: Deliver industrial R&D projects to enhance both nations' complementary strengths in semiconductors, photonics, emerging materials and chip design. They will deepen connections between the innovation rich semiconductor ecosystems in Canada and the UK to help build resilient supply chains and accelerate breakthroughs in this key sector that is driving economic growth. Quantum: Announce a joint commitment to develop secure, transatlantic communications based on quantum technologies, allowing us to connect our national systems and lay the groundwork to create a truly global, next-generation network, with applications across our financial and telecoms sectors. Digital: Mutually reinforce nation-building digital public infrastructure by co-developing policy levers and standards, and common technology components. Artificial Intelligence: Deepen and explore new collaborations on frontier AI systems to support our national security. This will include a partnership agreement to strengthen existing collaboration on AI safety and security between the Canadian AI Safety Institute and UK AI Security Institute, and new Canadian and UK MOUs with leading Canadian AI firm Cohere. Under the Canadian MOU, Cohere will collaborate with the Canadian AI Safety Institute and develop their commitment to building cutting-edge data centres in Canada. Under the UK MOU, Cohere will expand their UK presence to support the delivery of the UK AI Opportunities Action Plan. Both MOUs reflect ongoing collaboration on the application of AI tools in security and intelligence and are rooted in Cohere's strong foundations in Canada and ongoing commitment to the UK. Biomanufacturing: Strengthen collaboration to deliver economic growth and be better prepared for future health emergencies, including a joint investment of $14.8 million to support joint biomanufacturing research and development that will grow the talent and skills pipeline in both countries, and to help businesses scale. Civil Nuclear: Develop a world-leading fusion energy collaboration and deepen cooperation on nuclear energy from fission to reduce the influence of Russia on our international fuel supply chains. Critical Minerals: Intensify bilateral cooperation by conducting a strategic mapping exercise to pinpoint key critical minerals, infrastructure, production and processing capacities. They will identify projects for joint investment to support secure and sustainable critical minerals supply chain development and leverage all available financial tools to mobilize funding and drive production to strengthen our manufacturing and mining sectors. Enhanced Defence and Security Partnership The two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation – both bilaterally and through the NATO Alliance and Five Eyes partnership – to safeguard democratic values advance global stability and ensure the safety of our people in an increasingly complex world. To achieve this, they committed to: Ukraine: Further support Ukraine in its self-defence against Russia's war of aggression. This will include continued support for the Coalition of the Willing and respective efforts to support Ukraine's domestic defence industrial production. The UK and Canada will continue to work together to support the Air Force Capability Coalition and develop cutting edge aircraft weaponry technology in support of Ukraine. Military Cooperation: Position the Canada-UK defence relationship for further growth across military operations, industrial collaboration, and defence innovation, catalyzed by Canada's newly announced defence investment trajectory and the UK's Strategic Defence Review. Canada and the UK will work towards a new permanent arrangement for the long-term and sustainable use of British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) through the "BATUS Future Project". The Project will deepen the Canada-UK relationship on defence and showcase CFB Suffield as a multi-purpose facility for the development and testing of new equipment and cutting-edge technology which are vital to maintaining our shared security and prosperity. Intelligence: Build on the long history of deep and productive collaboration between our security and intelligence organizations by launching coordinated operational campaigns to combat terrorism and violent extremism, and deepening collaboration on enhanced intelligence collection, including by expanding officer exchange programs. National Security: Tackle evolving state threats together, including sabotage, transnational repression, foreign interference, malicious cyber activity, information manipulation and economic coercion, all of which seeks to undermine our national security and that of our Allies and partners. This will include joint work to invest in civil society organizations actively working to counter digital transnational repression through the Joint Canada-UK Common Good Cyber Fund, a first-of-its-kind multilateral fund aimed at supporting civil society actors at high risk. To kickstart this fund, Canada and the UK are providing $5.7 million in seed funding to the Fund, which will be disbursed over 5 years. They also agreed to strengthen bilateral development and delivery of secure communications products and cutting-edge cryptography and explore new research partnerships to address gaps in AI security and evolve AI models to support national security. Border Security: Strengthen bilateral cooperation to tackle transnational organized criminal organizations engaged in the illicit movement of goods and narcotics, and bolster our response to combat irregular migration, migrant smuggling and human trafficking, including through deeper bilateral information and knowledge exchange. 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