A Senate defense committee has approved a draft bill that bars the Pentagon from halting arms shipments and intel sharing with Kiev A bill authorizing more Ukraine aid and barring the Pentagon from unilaterally halting arms shipments has passed the Senate Armed Services Committee. The measures are part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the annual defense bill that outlines the Pentagon’s priorities and funding for the next fiscal year. The bill comes as tensions have risen between Congress and the White House over aid pauses earlier this year. In March, President Donald Trump temporarily halted all Ukraine assistance and intelligence sharing, while earlier this month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth paused weapons deliveries, citing the need to review dwindling Pentagon stockpiles. Aid resumed earlier this week after Trump expressed frustration over delays in the peace process and said Ukraine needs weapons to “defend” itself. Media reports later sugg...
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The US president has reiterated that he is “disappointed” with Moscow US President Donald Trump has said he is planning to make a “major statement” regarding Russia and the settlement of the Ukraine conflict in the coming days. The announcement comes after Trump criticized his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin earlier this week, accusing him of not wanting to stop the fighting with Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow treats Trump’s comments “calmly” and remains committed to finding a diplomatic solution with Kiev and rebuilding ties with Washington. In an interview with NBC News on Thursday, Trump again stressed that he is “disappointed in Russia, but we will see what happens over the next couple of weeks.” “I think I will have a major statement to make on Russia on Monday,” he said, declining to reveal any further details. Read more Russia prefers peaceful solution to Ukraine conflict – Kremlin Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with US Secretary...
Moscow has denounced the deepened military cooperation as yet another sign of NATO’s anti-Russia policy Britain and France have unveiled a new agreement to coordinate their nuclear arsenals more closely, citing what they see as heightened “threats” to security in Europe. Moscow has called the move part of NATO’s overtly anti-Russian policy, warning it would factor the agreement into its military planning. In a joint statement on Thursday, the two governments said that British and French nuclear weapons are aimed at protecting the two nations’ vital interests, adding that “our nuclear forces are independent, but can be coordinated and contribute significantly to the overall security of the alliance.” Speaking alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed the so-called Northward declaration, warning NATO adversaries that they “will know that any extreme threat to this continent would prompt a response from our two nations.” Read more UK aga...
Indonesia has said it is ready to face the consequences of being part of the economic bloc Indonesia will remain in BRICS even if US President Donald Trump fulfills his threat to slap extra tariffs on the group, Indonesian State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi has said. Earlier this week, Trump warned that he would impose additional 10% duties on any country that “aligns itself” with BRICS, which he claimed, is adopting “anti-American policies.” Prasetyo told journalists on Wednesday that Indonesia, which joined the bloc as a full member in early 2025, views the potential extra US tariffs “as part of the consequences of joining BRICS.” “We will have to face it,” the state secretary said, as cited by the Jakarta Globe. Indonesia and South Africa were the only two BRICS states among 14 countries that recently received letters from the US warning of harsh tariffs starting on August 1. According to Washington, Jakarta would be subject to a 32% rate. That will grow to 42% if Trump’s th...
The secretary of state has described his conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday as a “frank” and “important one” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov exchanged novel ideas on resolving the Ukraine conflict during their meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN forum in Malaysia on Thursday. Commenting on Russia’s proposals at the talks, Rubio described them as “new and different,” adding that he would brief US President Donald Trump on the discussion later on Thursday. The two diplomats met for around an hour, according to Reuters. The US will continue to talk to both Russia and Ukraine in an effort to bring peace closer, according to the top American diplomat. “Our strategy is to continue to engage all the parties that are involved in finding an outcome to this conflict,” Rubio told journalists when asked about Trump’s approach to resolving the standoff. “We will engage anytime we have an opportunity t...
Artillery shells and GMLRS rockets are reportedly being delivered after a Pentagon-led pause The US has resumed deliveries of some weapons to Ukraine, after a brief pause initiated by the Pentagon, the AP reported on Thursday, citing American officials. Shipments were temporarily halted last week due to concerns over dwindling US stockpiles. Two officials, speaking anonymously to AP, said the resumed supplies include 155mm artillery shells and precision-guided GMLRS rockets. Reuters also confirmed shipments had restarted, although it remains unclear when they began or how much is being delivered. Last week, the Pentagon paused some weapons deliveries to Ukraine – including precision munitions and air defense interceptors – citing concerns over depleted US reserves. However, an anonymous White House official told the AP there was no “pause” in shipments – only a review to ensure military aid aligns with US defense strategy. The official added that the Pentagon never formally a...