List of All Articles with Tag 'europe'

NATO advanced its plans for enlargement in response to Russian aggression, firming up the prospects for Ukraine’s future

Watch live as representatives from Nato member states meet for a second day in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on Wednesday 12 July. G7 allies are set to announce a security package for Ukraine at the summit, with the announcement coming after Volodymyr Zelensky voiced his frustration that Nato has not offered a timeframe for Kyiv to join. Rishi Sunak believes the move has the potential to “return peace to Europe” and has cited the UK as having played a leading role in the pact. Wednesday’s G7 declaration, which is expected to be ratified in the margins of the Nato summit in Vilnius, is set to provide more defence equipment, increase and accelerate intelligence sharing and bolster support for cyber defences. It plans to expand training programmes and military exercises, while also developing Ukraine’s industrial capabilities, according to Downing Street. Mr Zelensky has said the delay by allies in allowing Ukraine to join Nato is providing Russia and its occupying forces with the “motivation to continue its terror”. Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Russian has fired a fresh wave of kamikaze drone attacks on the city of Kyiv and its wider region for a second night in row, Ukraine‘s military said today. “The 504th day of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine. The enemy launched another air attack on the capital,” Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration said on Telegram. The overnight attack came just hours before Volodymyr Zelensky was expected to meet Nato leaders at a summit that has backed Ukraine’s independence and military in the continuing war, but stopped short of offering a timeline for membership of the alliance. France said yesterday that it would join Britain in supplying Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles, a move that allows Ukrainian forces to hit Russian troops and supplies deep behind frontlines. In a new interview while the Nato summit takes place, Russia’s foreign minister claimed the war in Ukraine will continue until the West gives up plans “to dominate and defeat Moscow”. Western nations have called on Vladimir Putin to end the conflict by withdrawing his troops from the neighbouring country. Read More Ukrainian minister says he fears Russia has "no red lines" to prevent attacks on nuclear plant Biden will meet Zelensky at Nato summit in Lithuania as war with Russia rages on Why Ukraine’s plea for Nato membership is such a challenge for the West

The European Union and Australia deadlocked in negotiations aimed at wrapping up a free-trade deal this week, putting

Nato leaders have refused to offer Ukraine a timetable or clear conditions for membership – a stance the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky called absurd. A communique released on the first afternoon of a two-day summit in Lithuania said only that Kyiv would join the alliance “when allies agree and conditions are met”. It came despite Mr Zelensky denouncing delays to the process, accusing Nato of handing Russia “motivation” in its invasion. “It’s unprecedented and absurd when [a] time frame is not set, neither for the invitation, nor for Ukraine’s membership,” he said as the summit began. He also claimed the alliance was leaving a “window of opportunity” for Ukraine to be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations with its invaders and expressed anger at a “vague” draft agreement. “Uncertainty is weakness,” he said. Later, Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg insisted the alliance had taken “key decisions at a critical moment” and that allies have agreed “a strong, united and positive message for Ukraine” as well as a “positive path forward for membership”. Asked about Mr Zelensky’s concerns, Mr Stoltenberg said it was important to ensure that Ukraine wins the war because “unless Ukraine prevails, there is no membership to be discussed at all”. “There has never been a stronger message from Nato at any time, both when it comes to the political message of the path forward for membership and the concrete support from Nato allies,” he said, adding that previous members had joined without a timeline. “They are conditions-based, have always been,” he said. Mr Stoltenberg could not disguise the differences between the 31 members over Ukraine’s pathway to membership. Britain had been pushing for the US and other more hesitant allies, such as Germany, to agree to language signalling bolstered support for Ukraine to join, while many eastern European nations have pushed for swift resolution. However, all attendees – including Ukraine – agree the country cannot join during the war, as to do so would risk pulling the group into direct conflict with Russia. Nato did not specify conditions Ukraine needs to meet, but said members would help Kyiv to make progress on military matters as well as on additional democratic and security sector reforms. The US, in particular, has been keen for Ukraine to make progress against corruption. Later, speaking to a crowd of thousands in central Vilnius – many waving Ukrainian flags – Mr Zelensky’s disappointment was clear. “I embarked on a trip here with faith in decisions, with faith in partners, with faith in a strong Nato. In a Nato that does not hesitate, does not waste time and does not look back at any aggressor,” he said. “And I would like this faith to become confidence – confidence in the decisions that we deserve – all of us deserve, and every warrior, every citizen, every mother, every child expects,” he added. “Is that too much to expect?” President Joe Biden has stressed Nato needs to stay united. “I still think that President Putin thinks the way he succeeds is to break Nato and we’re not going to do that,” Mr Biden said. Rishi Sunak told reporters that both Britain and Ukraine recognised Kyiv could not join the alliance “in the midst of a conflict”. Mr Sunak said: “I’ve always said that Ukraine’s rightful place is in Nato and that we stand by the language of Bucharest in 2008. I think what is important at this summit is that that commitment is reaffirmed and also that there is demonstrable progress towards that goal.” He also appeared to confirm reports Ukraine would be offered an "Israel-style" security deal, as part of a multi-year plan to defend itself from Russia. Mr Sunak told reporters he was “keen to try and get this over the line”. He said it was “distinct from the Nato conversation” and would “send a very strong signal of deterrent to Putin, that he can't wait people out, in terms of this conflict”. The UK and its G7 allies will agree a new framework to guarantee Ukraine’s long-term security on Wednesday, in a system that has been dubbed “Nato-lite”. Under the plans, Ukraine receives more defence equipment, intelligence, support for cyber and hybrid threat defences as well as expanded training programmes. The move will also help develop Ukraine’s industrial base. The UK will also announce new support for Ukraine, including thousands of extra rounds of ammunition for Challenger 2 tanks and more than 70 combat and logistics vehicle. As the war takes its toll on Ukraine’s military resources there will also be a £50m package to help repair equipment and a new military rehabilitation centre will be established. Mr Sunak said countries were “stepping up our formal arrangements to protect Ukraine for the long term”. Wednesday will also see the first meeting of the new Nato-Ukraine Council. Western nations continued to pledge arms and monetary support to Ukraine’s fight against Russia. President Emmanuel Macron said France would begin supplying long-range cruise missiles, following a similar announcement by Britain. With a range of 250km (155 miles), the missiles nearly triple Ukraine’s previous capabilities, allowing forces to hit Russian troops and supplies deep behind the front lines. Defence secretary Ben Wallace said Ukraine has already “successfully” used the UK missiles, known as Storm Shadow. Germany, too, announced new aid worth €700m (£600m), including two Patriot air defence missile launchers, and more tanks and fighting vehicles. A coalition of 11 nations will also start training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets in August in Denmark, and a training centre will be set up in Romania. The summit was also buoyed by the prospect of Sweden joining as its newest member after Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan abruptly dropped his objections to the move, while pushing to revive talks for Turkey to join the European Union. Finland also attended the summit as a member for the first time after its own entry into the alliance in April. Moscow, which has disingenuously cited Nato’s eastern expansion as a factor in its decision to invade Ukraine, said Europe would be the first to face “catastrophic consequences” should the war escalate. “Potentially, this issue [of Ukraine joining Nato] is very dangerous for European security... and therefore those who will make the decision must be aware of this,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary G7 allies set to announce security package for Ukraine at Vilnius Nato summit Biden blames busy schedule for skipping Nato leadership dinner Ukraine still has conditions to meet before it can join Nato, leaders say

The French village of Le Vernet in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence has been struck by tragedy following the disappearance of a young boy. Émile, aged two-and-a-half, was playing in the garden of his grandparent's house when he vanished on Saturday afternoon. Since then, a desperate search has been underway to try and find the missing toddler. But this isn't the first time that the sleepy village has been struck by tragedy. Locals speaking to the media have said they are worried their village may be "cursed" as a result of the unfortunate tragedies which have taken place over the last 15 years. Speaking to La Montagne, Christian Mollet said: "The village has been hit by this type of tragedy three times. "There was the murder of Jeannette in 2008, the manager of the Moulin café killed by a customer in 2008; the crash of the company Germanwings, a subsidiary of Lufthansa in 2015 with 150 people on board; and then there is this disappearance..." Jeanette and Café du Moulin In 2008, the peace of the village was shattered when Jeanette, the owner of Café du Moulin, was murdered by a customer. At the time of the death, the mayor at the time François Balique told Provence that "the village will have a hard time recovering from it". Jeanette Grosos was regarded as a "local institution", according to Gilles Thezan speaking to L'yonne Relublicaine. She came to a tragic end after a customer, who was well-known in the village, savagely beat her to death. According to local reports, the man who attacked her was known as the "simpleton" of the village. Airwing disaster Years later in March 2015, another tragedy struck when Germanwings Flight 4U 9525 crashed into the Alps. Evidence obtained from the cockpit flight record and other information showed how co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, 28, brought down the Airbus intentionally. The flight took off from Barcelona Airport and was heading for Duesseldorf, Germany, with 150 people on board - which is also around the same size population as Le Vernet. At around 9.30, the captain told the co-pilot he was leaving the cockpit and asked him to take over radio communications. As soon as he left, the co-pilot altered the flight monitoring system to send the aircraft into descent and within 10 minutes the plane had plummeted into a mountain at 430mph - killing everybody onboard instantly. In the last few minutes of the black box recording, there is the sound of banging on the door as staff tried to enter the cockpit and also the sound of the terrified passengers screaming. It was revealed later that the suicidal co-pilot was asked to seek psychiatric treatment just two weeks before the disaster. Examination of his computer showed that he had researched suicide methods in the months before the disaster. The co-pilot was allowed to fly because of a "waiver” following a previous episode of depression in 2008-9. A report said he knew that this waiver would be revoked – removing his licence – if he reported his psychiatric problems to his employer. A commemorative plaque remains in Le Vernet for the tragedy. Émile The toddler's grandparents were getting him ready for the day when suddenly they noticed he had vanished. The two-year-old’s disappearance has sent shockwaves through the community, with locals describing Le Vernet as “safe” and “quiet.” “It’s a quiet little hamlet, you feel safe there, much more than in the city”, one resident told La Provence of the search. “We all know each other here, I don’t think that a foreign person who would have gone up to the top of the village would have gone unnoticed”, another added. On Monday, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence prefect Marc Chappuis announced that from Tuesday morning, the village would be closed to non-residents. “Nearly 800 people took turns almost without interruption for two days to try to find the child, within a radius of 5 km around the place where he was last seen”, Mr Chappuis told reporters, praising the “neighbours, hikers, walkers, hunters from the surrounding communes” who “showed an exceptional outpouring of solidarity.” “We don’t need new arrivals of reinforcements”, he added. When asked whether the village is cursed, François Balique, the current first magistrate, said: “No, you can’t say that. It’s the coincidences of life.” The search for the toddler continues. Read More Missing French toddler – latest: Police give update as helicopter teams use mother’s voice recording in search Desperate search for French toddler who vanished on holiday with grandparents European heatwave Cerberus brings searing temperatures as Italy could hit 48C Nato refuses to offer Ukraine timeframe on joining, after Zelensky hits out at delays Why are we so obsessed with world leaders’ heights? European heatwave Cerberus brings searing temperatures as Italy could hit 48C

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy criticized NATO for not setting a clear timeline on his country’s bid to join

A Russian naval officer who allegedly commanded a deadly missile strike on Ukraine has reportedly been assassinated while out jogging, after being tracked on a running app. Stanislav Rzhitskiy was found with four bullet wounds in his back near the Olimp sports complex in Krasnodar, southern Russia. Rzhitskiy was reportedly targeted for commanding a Kalibr missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia nearly a year ago which killed 28 people. Ukraine’s intelligence service, the GUR, said he was shot at 6am this morning. A spokesman did not claim responsibility for his death but added: “Due to heavy rain the park was deserted, so there are no witnesses who could provide details or recognise the attacker.” Russian police said they were searching for a man aged between 30 and 40 who had been wearing black. Investigators believe his running route was tracked through the Strava jogging app and his death was linked to the upcoming first anniversary of the Kalibr attack on July 15. A screenshot from his profile on Strava last week mapped out a 14-minute jog in the Russian city of Krasnodar. Reports say Rzhitsky was hit in the “back and chest” and died at the scene, with two 9-mm bullets found in his body. His watch and headphones were located at the scene, indicating robbery was not the motive, according to news outlet Mash. A murder investigation has been launched by Russian police. Also among the 27 killed in Vinnytsia were Kateryna Hula, 24, administrator of the Neuromed medical centre which was hit by the missile attack. Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska knew Liza, one of the three children brutally killed in the Russian strike. Other victims include Tetyana Kharchenko, 32, Evhen Kovalenko, 25, and concert organiser Viktor Polishchuk. In the immediate aftermath of the strike, Russian state TV claimed the submarine hit had been the “most productive” of the war. It said it killed Colonel Oleg Makarchuk, 48, head of the Armaments and Logistics Service of the Ukrainian Air Force, and Colonel Dmitry Burdiko, another high-ranking air force commander, as they met in the so-called House of Officers in Vinnytsia. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskysuggested the attack was deliberately aimed at civilians. Read More At least 20 killed after Russia launches rare attack on central Ukraine city CCTV captures moment people run for cover during Russian missile strike on Vinnytsia Aftermath of Russian bombing in central Ukrainian city that killed at least 17 Ukraine Russia war – live: Long-range missiles pledge at Nato summit to help Kyiv push back Putin’s forces Zelensky hits out at lack of Vilnius summit timetable for Ukraine to join Nato Biden news – live: President to meet Zelensky as palace reacts to King Charles royal protocol breach

Ukraine said its troops had caught occupying Russian troops “in a trap“ in the shattered eastern city of Bakhmut, where its forces have been gaining ground as part of their counter-offensive. Russian accounts of the fighting said Moscow’s forces have repelled or contained Ukrainian advances in the east and south. More than 500 days into the invasion, Ukraine’s counter-offensive which began early last month has focused on capturing clusters of villages in the southeast and moving in on Russian forces holding Bakhmut. Officials on Monday noted advances in both sectors. “Bakhmut. The enemy is caught in a trap,” general Oleksander Syrskyi, in charge of Ukraine’s ground forces, said bluntly on the Telegram messaging app. “The city is under the fire control of (our) defence forces...the enemy is being pushed out of their positions.” In the south, general Oleksander Tarnavskyi said on Telegram Ukrainian forces were “on the move” and Russian forces had lost the equivalent of hundreds of men over 24 hours. Read More Ukrainian minister says he fears Russia has "no red lines" to prevent attacks on nuclear plant Biden will meet Zelensky at Nato summit in Lithuania as war with Russia rages on Why Ukraine’s plea for Nato membership is such a challenge for the West

The potential kingmaker in Slovakia’s fall election criticized his frontrunner rival for anti-US and anti-Ukraine rhetoric and said

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang will skip a meeting of Southeast Asia’s top diplomats in Jakarta, according to

Turkey agreed to support Sweden’s NATO bid in a major breakthrough for the military alliance’s push to strengthen