Ukraine | DD News

June 20, 2024 3:08 PM

EU states approve 14th sanctions package against Russia, diplomats say

European Union countries approved a 14th package of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine, diplomats said on Thursday, including a ban on re-exports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in EU waters. Belgium, which holds the rotating EU presidency until July 1, said on the X platform that the package "maximises the impact of existing sanctions by closing loopholes". Countries debated the new measures for over a month and ultimately watered down one of the Commission's proposals, a...

June 19, 2024 4:46 PM

Dutchman Mark Rutte, longtime Putin critic, set to lead NATO alliance

Mark Rutte, who looks set to be NATO's next secretary-general, is a staunch ally of Ukraine and a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who honed his skills as a political dealmaker during nearly 14 years as Dutch prime minister. Rutte, 57, has been one of the driving forces behind Europe's military support for Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion, and says defeat on the battlefield for Moscow is vital to secure peace in Europe. His view is heavily influenced by the downing of an ...

June 19, 2024 10:46 AM

Putin thanks Kim for unwavering support at summit, including on Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a summit meeting on Wednesday after a grand welcome ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, Russian media said, as they pledged to develop their nations' ties. An honour guard including mounted soldiers, and a large crowd of civilians gathered at the square by the Taedong River running through the capital. The scene included children holding balloons, and giant portraits of the two leaders with national fla...

June 18, 2024 9:08 PM

Treated as a pariah by the West, Putin set for warm welcome in Vietnam

Russian President Vladimir Putin is widely portrayed as a pariah in the West, but he looks set to receive a warm welcome when he visits Communist-ruled Vietnam this week. Vietnam is not a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has issued an arrest warrant for Putin over alleged war crimes in Ukraine, and ties between Hanoi and Moscow have been strong for decades. Like Moscow, Hanoi also keeps a close eye on what is reported by national media, and Western advocacy groups say me...

June 15, 2024 4:10 PM

US VP announces $1.5 billion for aid for Ukraine at peace summit in Switzerland

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced more than $1.5 billion in aid in part for Ukraine's energy sector and its humanitarian situation as a result of Russia's 27-month invasion of Ukraine. The announcement was made as Harris attended a Ukraine peace summit in Lucerne, Switzerland, where she was to meet Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and address the summit's plenary session. The $1.5 billion includes $500 million in new funding for energy assistance and the redirecting of $324 mill...

June 13, 2024 4:50 PM

G7 leaders seek deal to use interest from Russian assets for Ukraine

Leaders of the Group of Seven major democracies started their annual summit on Thursday, many of them under a cloud at home but determined to make a difference on the world stage as they seek to help Ukraine and counter China's economic ambitions. Heading into two days of talks, diplomats said a deal had been agreed in principle on plans to issue $50 billion of loans for Ukraine using interest from Russian sovereign assets frozen after Moscow launched its invasion of its neighbour in 2022. Wes...

June 13, 2024 11:54 AM

Troubled G7 leaders focus on Ukraine war, China in Italian summit

Group of Seven (G7) leaders start their annual summit on Thursday looking to double down on support for Ukraine in its war with Russia and offer a united face in confronting China's political and economic ambitions. With the Middle East, migration and artificial intelligence (AI) also on a packed agenda, the June 13-15 summit in southern Italy would be taxing for leaders at the best of times, but most of them are also bowed down by their own domestic woes. U.S. President Joe Biden, facing a to...

June 13, 2024 10:45 AM

Study details huge emissions resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has directly caused or paved the way to the emission of 175 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, a joint report said on Thursday. The report, published by Ukraine's environment ministry and climate NGOs, said their estimate included both emissions that had been released and those that would be produced during repair work following the destruction caused by the February 2022 invasion. It laid out some of the main carbon-emitting activities cau...

June 6, 2024 1:36 PM

Russian central bank urges global integration despite sanctions

Despite Western sanctions, Russia must be integrated in the global economy with countries that are prepared to work with it, central bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina said at Russia's flagship annual economic forum in St Petersburg on Thursday. The event once drew top Western bankers and company executives, but the main foreign participants now are from countries still friendly to Russia. The presidents of Bolivia and Zimbabwe are due to appear alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin at Friday...