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Ukrainian forces say they have have “gained a foothold” on the left (eastern) bank of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine. In March, EU member states agreed to provide Ukraine with 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition for Ukraine to be delivered within 12 months. Both Ukraine and Russia need to replenish extraordinary amounts of ammunition as a grinding war of attrition continues in Ukraine’s east and south. Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, pictured in court in 2014, has received a presidential pardon after doing a stint fighting in Ukraine. The visit was previously unannounced and comes amid concerns that the Israel-Gaza conflict will divert international attention from the war in Ukraine.

Persons: “, Vladimir Saldo, Pilipey, Saldo, ” Boris Pistorius, Pistorius, Josep Borrell, Dimitar Dilkoff, Anna Politkovskaya, Vladimir Putin, Sergey Khadzhikurbanov, Politkovskaya, Khadzhikurbanov’s, Alexey Mikhalchik, Putin, ” Mikhalchik, Khadzhikurbanov, ”, Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, Pavel Golovkin, David Cameron, Zelensky, ” Cameron, Cameron, ” Cameron –, Alexandra Skochilenko, Skochilenko “ Organizations: CNN —, Defense Forces, CNN, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, Getty, Novaya Gazeta, Russian Ministry of Defense, Khadzhikurbanov, AP, Armed Forces, Russian Federation Locations: CNN — Ukraine, Dnipro, Kyiv, Germany, Ukraine, Kherson, Russia, Russian, AFP, Krynky, Crimea, Brussels, EU, Ukraine’s, South, North Korea, Moscow, British, Israel, Gaza, St, Petersburg, St . Petersburg, Skochilenko

☆ The EU has sent less than a third of the 1 million rounds of ammo it promised Ukraine, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The EU pledged to send Ukraine one million rounds of ammunition by March 2024. But it has only sent 300,000 so far, an EU official told Politico Europe. AdvertisementThe European Union will likely fall short of sending the one million rounds of ammunition it pledged to Ukraine, an unnamed senior EU official told Politico Europe. Politico's report said that EU countries had sent 300,000, less than a third of their promise. Other European and Ukrainian senior officials drew the same conclusion this week after Bloomberg reported that the EU was "very unlikely" to hit its 1 million rounds target by March.

Persons: —, Boris Pistorius, Dmytro Kuleba, Rob Bauer Organizations: Politico, Service, EU, Politico Europe, Bloomberg, Germany's, Guardian, Ukraine's, European Pravda Locations: Ukraine, Politico Europe, Netherlands

“It can be assumed that the 1 million rounds will not be reached,” Boris Pistorius said ahead of an EU defense ministers meeting in Brussels. In March, EU member states agreed to provide Ukraine with 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition for Ukraine to be delivered within 12 months. The US has also been ramping up ammunition production to supply Ukraine. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Kyiv urgently needed the EU to ramp up its ability to supply ammunition for the Ukrainian military. Ukraine is “ringing the bells a lot and loudly” over EU ammunition supply, he said on national television on Monday night.

Persons: ” Boris Pistorius, Pistorius, Josep Borrell, Borrell, Boris Pistorius, Omar Havana, Dmytro Kuleba, “, ”, ” Nick Witney, Tom Waldwyn, Waldwyn Organizations: CNN, EU, German, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, Ukraine’s, European Council, Foreign Relations, International Institute for Strategic Studies Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Brussels, EU, Ukraine’s, South, North Korea, Europe

☆ Germany set to double Ukraine military aid
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivers a speech on the day of the opening of an electrolysis gigafactory in Berlin, Germany November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT, Nov 11 (Reuters) - German chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition has agreed in principle to double the country's military aid for Ukraine next year to 8 billion euros ($8.5 billion), a political source in Berlin said on Sunday. Defence minister Boris Pistorius, interviewed by broadcaster ARD, referred to the planned doubling of military aid to Ukraine. "Doubling the military spending is both the right thing to do and important," it quoted member of parliament Andreas Schwarz, who acts as an SPD military budget official, as saying. A European Union plan to spend up to 20 billion euros ($21 billion) on military aid for Ukraine is meeting with resistance from EU countries, diplomats said this week.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Annegret, Olaf Scholz's, Boris Pistorius, Andreas Schwarz, Gursimran Kaur, Holger Hansen, Vera Eckert, David Gregorio, Kirsten Donovan, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Scholz's Social Democrats, Free Democrats, Green, Bundestag, Bloomberg News, Germany's Ministry of Defence, ARD, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Ukraine, Bengaluru, Frankfurt

☆ Germany pledges to make its military 'the backbone of defence in Europe'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Sabine Siebold | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File... Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreBERLIN, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Germany will strengthen its military to make it the backbone of deterrence and collective defence in Europe, its defence minister pledged on Thursday as Berlin issued new defence policy guidelines for the first time in over a decade. The 19-page document details what the "Zeitenwende" - the major shift of policy German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 - means for the workings of the Bundeswehr. "With the Zeitenwende, Germany becomes a grown up country in terms of security policy," Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said as he presented the guidelines, the first since 2011 when Berlin suspended conscription. "As the most populous and an economically strong country at the heart of Europe, Germany must be the backbone of deterrence and collective defence in Europe," Pistorius said. German forces needed to be refocused on their core mission -the credible defence of Germany and its allies - and be "ready to fight a war", he said.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Wolfgang Rattay, Boris Pistorius, Pistorius, Sabine Siebold, Toby Chopra, Ed Osmond Organizations: Patriot, Bonn Air Force, Territorial Command, Bundeswehr, REUTERS, Berlin, Thomson Locations: Cologne, Wahn, Germany, BERLIN, Europe, Ukraine, Berlin, prioritise, Lithuania

☆ Germany to withdraw Patriot air defence units from Poland
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

German Patriot air defence system units are seen at the military base, during German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius' visit, near Zamosc, Poland July 3, 2023. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Germany is set to end the deployment of three Patriot air defence units to Poland after almost a year, the defence ministry in Berlin said on Wednesday, confirming earlier plans. The German soldiers will wrap up their operations on Friday and start redeploying from next week, the ministry said. "I am very happy about the friendly and appreciative reception our soldiers in Zamosc were granted by the Polish military and the people living there," German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said. Reporting by Sabine Siebold Editing by Gareth JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Boris Pistorius, Kacper, PiS, Sabine Siebold, Gareth Jones Organizations: Patriot, German, REUTERS, Rights, Patriots, Law and Justice, Thomson Locations: Zamosc, Poland, Germany, Berlin, Polish, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Przewodow, Warsaw

☆ EU summit turns its eyes away from Ukraine despite a commitment to stay the course with Zelenskyy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

It was a good thing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had his videoconference address to the European Union summit pre-slotted for the opening session. They didn't come back to the issue of Russia's war in Ukraine again before Friday's closing day of the summit. Not only have the geopolitics in general shifted, some of the EU politics in particular are no longer as kind to Zelenskyy. There is also a four-year 20-billion-euro ($21 billion) military and security package in the pipeline. "If we don't help Ukraine, then what is the alternative, really," Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy, Mike Johnson, Israel, Robert Fico, Viktor Orbán, Orbán, Anton Siluanov, Boris Pistorius, Fico, Orban, Kaja Kallas, Leo Varadkar, Putin Organizations: European Union, EU, U.S ., Slovak, Ukraine, Russian, U.S . Congress, IRIS, " Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Moscow, Europe, Slovakia, Germany, France, Hungary, Zelenskyy, Russian, United States, Brussels, Estonian, Russia

BRUSSELS (AP) — It was a good thing Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy had his videoconference address to the European Union summit pre-slotted for the opening session. They didn't come back to the issue of Russia's war in Ukraine again before Friday's closing day of the summit. With Ukraine funding in jeopardy in the U.S. Congress, Zelenskyy is looking to leave the financial lifeline to Europe open. “If we don’t help Ukraine, then what is the alternative, really,” Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said. Why do you think that you’re safe then?”Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has the answer.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mike Johnson, Robert Fico, Viktor Orbán, Orbán, ” Orbán, Anton Siluanov, Zelenskyy, “, ”, Boris Pistorius, Kaja Kallas, Leo Varadkar, Putin, ” ___ Geir Moulson, Sylvie Corbet, Justin Spike Organizations: Ukrainian, European Union, EU, U.S ., Ukraine, Russian, U.S . Congress, IRIS, ” Locations: BRUSSELS, Israel, Ukraine, Moscow, Europe, EU, Slovak, Germany, France, Slovakia, neigboring Hungary, Zelenskyy, Kyiv, Russian, United States, Brussels, Estonian, Russia, Berlin, Paris, Budapest, Hungary

About 100 wives, mothers, children and relatives of Ukrainian soldiers attended a demonstration in the capital, Kyiv. Even so, U.S. officials say that Russian forces are experiencing morale problems as another winter campaign looms. The latest hot spot draining resources is Avdiivka, a city in the eastern Donetsk region that Russian forces partially occupy. The Washington-based think tank noted that Ukrainian military officials said that around 5,000 Russian soldiers have been killed and wounded, and 400 armored vehicles lost in the area since Oct. 10. Satellite images show the Russian military lost at least 109 military vehicles, mostly armored fighting vehicles and tanks, near Avdiivika between Oct. 10 and 20, the institute said.

Persons: “ Demobilize, ”, “, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Rishi Sunak, ” Zelenskyy, Joe Biden, Mike Johnson, Biden, Viktor Orbán, Vladimir Putin, Robert Fico, videoconference, Zelenskyy, Putin, Boris Pistorius, Hanna Arhirova, Geir Moulson Organizations: Russia, Verkhovna Rada, ” Protesters, Institute for, Kyiv, ”, European Union, Ukraine, Slovak, IRIS, Defense Ministry, Associated Press Locations: KYIV, Ukraine, Ukraine's, Kyiv, Russia, U.S, Donetsk, Avdiivka, Russian, Washington, Avdiivika, Ukrainian, Moscow, North Korea, Iran, ” Ukraine, Hungarian, Brussels, Germany, Israel, Berlin, russia, ukraine

☆ German defence minister visits troops at UN force in Lebanon
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius looks on during a press statement on a visit the German Airforce Base Holzdorf to get informed about the projects of heavy transport helicopters and the anti-ballistic missiles ARROW in Holzdorf, Germany October 16, 2023. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Oct 19 (Reuters) - German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius travelled to Lebanon on Thursday to visit German soldiers serving in a U.N. peacekeeping force in the region in the wake of a major escalation between neighbouring Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Berlin has deployed some 140 soldiers on a corvette off the Lebanese coast and at the headquarters of the UNIFIL mission in southern Lebanon that was hit by a rocket on Sunday without causing casualties. UNIFIL has operated in Lebanon since 1978 to maintain peace along the border with Israel and was expanded by the U.N. resolution that halted the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war in southern Lebanon. Reporting by Sabine Siebold and Friederike Heine, Editing by Rachel MoreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Boris Pistorius, German Airforce Base Holzdorf, Annegret, Sabine Siebold, Friederike Heine, Rachel More Organizations: German, German Airforce Base, REUTERS, Rights, Hamas, UNIFIL, Twitter, Thomson Locations: Holzdorf, Germany, Lebanon, Israel, Palestinian, Berlin, Gaza

☆ Germany to support Israel in its defence efforts with two drones - minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Visitors stand in front of an Heron TP drone at the ILA Air Show in Berlin, Germany, April 25, 2018. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Berlin will allow Israel to use two Heron drones the German air force has in use in the country, defence minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday ahead of a NATO meeting in Brussels. "We will provide two drone the Israelis had asked for. In addition, there are first requests for ammunition for ships that we will now discuss with the Israelis," Pistorius said, adding: "We stand by Israel's side." (This story has been corrected to make clear that Israel requested 'ammunition for ships', not 'ammunition and ships')Reporting by Tassilo Hummel, editing by Bart Meijer and Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Axel Schmidt, Boris Pistorius, Pistorius, Israel, Tassilo Hummel, Bart Meijer, Alex Richardson Organizations: ILA, REUTERS, Rights, NATO, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Israel, Brussels

BRUSSELS, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Defence ministers at NATO's Brussels headquarters watched stunned as their Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant on Thursday showed them "shocking" and "horrific" video from the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians, diplomats said. Gallant, who remotely attended the one-hour NATO session, briefed ministers on the attack and showed them what the Times of Israel, which was the first to report on it, called an "uncensored video of Hamas atrocities". In a statement after the session with Gallant, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared: "Israel does not stand alone." On Wednesday, Stoltenberg said Israel had the right to defend itself and NATO expected its response to the Hamas attack to be proportionate. There was no immediate comment from the Turkish delegation to NATO or the Turkish foreign ministry.

Persons: Yoav Gallant, Israel, Gallant, Germany's Boris Pistorius, Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Sabine Siebold, Andrew Gray, Ingrid Melander, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: NATO's Brussels, NATO, Israel, Turkish, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Gaza, of Israel, Germany, Israel, Turkey

☆ Germany clears Israel's use of two Heron TP combat drones, source says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Visitors stand in front of an Heron TP drone at the ILA Air Show in Berlin, Germany, April 25, 2018. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Germany has given Israel the go-ahead to use two Heron TP combat drones in its counter-attack against Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, a defence source told Reuters on Wednesday, confirming a report by Spiegel magazine. Germany has leased five of these drones from Israel's arms maker IAI (ISRAI.UL), with two of them still deployed in Israel for training German drone pilots, the source said. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Wednesday approved a request by Israel to use the drones, Spiegel reported, adding the 16 German pilots in training were returning home because of the Hamas attack. The defence source said Israel had also asked Germany whether it could provide flak jackets, medical equipment and treatment for wounded people in German hospitals.

Persons: Axel Schmidt, Boris Pistorius, Spiegel, Israel, Ludwig Burger, Sabine Siebold, Nick Macfie, Rod Nickel Organizations: ILA, REUTERS, Rights, Palestinian, Hamas, Reuters, Spiegel, IAI, German, Gaza's Health Ministry, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Israel, Gaza

☆ Every Russian commander who led the invasion of Ukraine has lost their job, former UK defence secretary says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia is losing in its war against Ukraine, the UK's former defense secretary said. He said none of the Russian commanders behind the invasion still had their jobs 19 months in. AdvertisementAdvertisementNone of the commanders who led Russia into its full-scale war with Ukraine in 2022 are still in their jobs, the former British Defence Secretary said. Not a single commander who led the major Russian units into Ukraine is still in place." In recent weeks, Ukraine has made incremental but important gains in seeking to break through Russian defensive positions in south and east Ukraine.

Persons: Ben Wallace, —, Wallace, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Defence Ben Wallace, Boris Pistorius, Sean Gallup, Wallace didn't, Wagner, Sergey Surovikin, masterminding Organizations: Service, British, Sunday Telegraph, State, Defence, German, Getty, The Washington Post, Kremlin Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Berlin, Germany, Ukrainian

☆ Ukraine refused 10 Leopard tanks from Germany because they needed repairs and it didn't have the technicians and parts to fix them, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine refused to take 10 German Leopard tanks because they were in bad shape, per German media. Germany has committed 110 tanks to Ukraine as part of a $2.9 billion package. Authorities in Kyiv refused to import the group of Leopard 1A tanks on the grounds that they needed significant repairs, German newspaper der Speigel reported on Tuesday. Germany has committed to sending 110 tanks to Ukraine as part of a $2.9 billion military aid package announced in the spring. As of early August, German news outlet die Welt reported that just 10% of the country's promised tanks to Ukraine had been delivered.

Persons: Der Spiegel, Axel Springer, der Spiegel, Boris Pistorius, Der, — Organizations: Service, Leopard, Authorities, New York Times, Forbes, German Ministry of Defense Locations: Ukraine, Germany, Wall, Silicon, Kyiv, Russia, Der Speigel

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Barry Steenkamp, the father of Reeva Steenkamp, the woman who was fatally shot by Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius, has died, a family spokesperson said Friday. A foundation set up by the Steenkamp family in memory of Reeva said Barry Steenkamp died in his sleep on Thursday evening. “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden and peaceful passing of Barry Steenkamp,” the foundation said in a statement on its Facebook page. At that meeting, Steenkamp said he urged Pistorius to confess that he had intentionally shot Reeva in rage after an argument. Barry Steenkamp wasn't able to attend because of poor health, family spokesperson Koen said at the time.

Persons: — Barry Steenkamp, Reeva Steenkamp, Oscar Pistorius, Tania Koen, Barry Steenkamp's, Reeva, Barry Steenkamp, “ Barry, Pistorius, Steenkamp, “, Oscar, ” Barry Steenkamp, ”, Barry Steenkamp wasn't, Koen, ___ Organizations: Paralympic, British, Daily Mail, Pistorius, AP Locations: CAPE, South Africa, Pistorius, AP Africa, africa

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy moves to replace wartime defence minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov attend a meeting with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine February 7, 2023. Press Service of the Defence Ministry of Ukraine/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsKYIV, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday he had decided to dismiss Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov from his post and would ask parliament this week to replace him with Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine's main privatisation fund. The announcement, made in his nightly video address to the nation, sets the stage for the biggest shakeup of Ukraine's defence establishment during the war launched by Russia in February 2022. Oleksii Reznikov has been through more than 550 days of full-scale war," Zelenskiy said. The change of defence minister must be approved by parliament, but is likely to be supported by a majority of lawmakers in the Verkhovna Rada.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Oleksii Reznikov, Boris Pistorius, Rustem Umerov, Reznikov, I've, Zelenskiy, Umerov, Tom Balmforth, Anna Pruchnicka, Diane Craft Organizations: Defence, German, Press Service, Defence Ministry of, REUTERS, Rights, Defense, Verkhovna Rada, Property Fund, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Defence Ministry of Ukraine, Handout, Russia, Verkhovna, Crimean

☆ Majority of Germans unhappy with Scholz amid fight over spending -survey
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany August 16, 2023. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Aug 18 (Reuters) - A majority of Germans are dissatisfied with the leadership of Chancellor Olaf Scholz for the first time since he took office in 2021, a survey showed on Friday, capping off a week of tension within his three-party coalition over spending. Fifty-one percent of respondents to a survey conducted on behalf of public broadcaster ZDF said they were not happy with the chancellor's work. Despite the survey's findings, Scholz remains the second most popular politician in Germany behind defence minister Boris Pistorius, who has been in pole position for months. Writing by Friederike Heine, Editing by Rachel MoreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Annegret, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Scholz's, Scholz, Boris Pistorius, Friederike Heine, Rachel More Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, ZDF, SPD, Greens, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany

☆ Berlin ready to extend Patriot air defence deployment to Poland until end of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

German Patriot air defence system units are seen at the Vilnius airport, ahead of a NATO summit, in Vilnius, Lithuania July 10, 2023. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins/File PhotoBERLIN, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Germany has offered to extend the deployment of three Patriot air defence units in Poland until the end of 2023, the defence ministry in Berlin said on Tuesday. Ground-based air defence systems such as Raytheon's (RTX.N) Patriot are built to intercept incoming missiles. They are, however, in short supply across NATO since many allies scaled down the number of air defence units after the Cold War. Russia's invasion of Ukraine sent NATO allies scrambling to plug the gaps in their own inventories, while also supplying Kyiv with air defence systems to ward off Russian attacks.

Persons: Ints, Boris Pistorius, Sabine Siebold, Christoph Steitz, Chris Reese, Alex Richardson Organizations: Patriot, NATO, REUTERS, German, Law and Justice, Thomson Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, Germany, Poland, Berlin, Polish, Zamosc, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Przewodow, Warsaw

☆ US to send Kyiv first $200 mln of arms freed by $6.2 bln 'accounting error'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Mike Stone | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Wolfgang... Read moreWASHINGTON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's administration will announce $200 million of new weapons aid for Ukraine as soon as Tuesday, U.S. officials told Reuters, as it begins to dole out $6.2 billion of funds discovered after a Pentagon accounting error over-valued billions of Ukraine aid, two U.S. officials said on Monday. Ukraine needs weaponry that can be shipped from U.S. stocks in a matter of days or weeks so it can keep up its fight to repel Russia's invasion - the accounting error worked to Kyiv's benefit because more equipment can be sent. Washington is currently working on a supplemental budget request to continue to aid Kyiv, the U.S. officials said. Tuesday's expected announcement of $200 million would be the first tranche of the $6.2 billion windfall of previously authorized Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), the officials said. Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Boris Pistorius, Lloyd Austin, Jens Stoltenberg, Wolfgang, Read, Joe Biden's, Tuesday's, Lockheed Martin, Mike Stone, David Gregorio Our Organizations: German, NATO, Ramstein Air Base, REUTERS, Reuters, Pentagon, Lockheed, Lockheed Martin Corp, Patriot, RTX Corp, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, U.S, Ramstein, Miesenbach, Germany, WASHINGTON, Kyiv, Washington

☆ Niger coup leaders dissolve govt, declare Tiani head of state
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Moussa Aksar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NIAMEY, July 28 (Reuters) - Leaders of the coup in Niger declared General Abdourahamane Tiani as the new head of state on Friday, and said they had suspended the constitution and dissolved all former institutions after overthrowing President Mohamed Bazoum. He represents the state of Niger in international relations," an officer said, reading out a statement. African countries, Western powers, regional and international organizations have reacted with alarm to the coup in Niger, insisting that Bazoum be freed and constitutional order restored. Niger borders three countries - Mali, Burkina Faso and Chad - that have also experienced military coups in the last two years. Niger so far has held them off better than Mali and Burkina Faso, where violence has only worsened since the military coups.

Persons: Abdourahamane Tiani, Mohamed Bazoum, Tiani, Bazoum, Josep Borrell, Kamala Harris, Boris Pistorius, Bate Felix, Anait, Nellie Peyton, John Stonestreet, Angus MacSwan, Nick Macfie Organizations: National Council, Bazoum, REUTERS, Islamic, West African States, European Union, United, European, EU, German, Spiegel, Thomson Locations: NIAMEY, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, France, Niamey, al Qaeda, Islamic State, West Africa's, Nigeria, Guinea, United States, Africa, EU, Germany, Italy

☆ German defence minister cancels Iraq trip over protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FRANKFURT, July 23 (Reuters) - German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has cancelled a planned trip to Iraq and Jordan, a ministry spokesperson said on Sunday, citing security concerns after the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad was set alight last week in a protest over Koran burnings. On Saturday, several thousand Iraqis demonstrated in Baghdad over the recent burning or damaging of the Koran during anti-Islam protests in Sweden and Denmark. The cancellation of Pistorius' trip, which was supposed to last for several days, was also in response to violent protests against a Danish non-governmental organisation in Iraq, the spokesperson said. This, along with the risk of further protests in coming days, prompted German security forces to advise on cancelling the trip, the spokesperson said, adding it would take place at a later date, possibly during the fourth quarter of the year. Reporting by Christoph Steitz Editing by Frances KerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Boris Pistorius, Christoph Steitz, Frances Kerry Organizations: German, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, Iraq, Jordan, Swedish, Baghdad, Sweden, Denmark, Danish

☆ Berlin aims to have "best equipped" NATO army division in Europe in 2025
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Sabine Siebold | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Heiko BeckerBERLIN, July 17 (Reuters) - Germany is confident it will have the best equipped army division amongst European NATO allies in 2025, Army Chief Alfons Mais told Reuters, as countries are scrambling to gear up their troops in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. At the moment, Berlin does not have a single combat-ready division, a military unit comprising more than 20,000 troops. It aims to have the first of three divisions operational by 2025, with the second to follow in 2027. "It will be sufficient, in any case, to contribute the best equipped division of all European NATO partners in 2025. "But supporting Ukraine is more important right now than establishing a division, as NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has stressed," he underlined.

Persons: Boris Pistorius, Heiko Becker BERLIN, Alfons Mais, Mais, Jens Stoltenberg, Olaf Scholz, Sabine Siebold, Emma, Victoria Farr, David Evans Organizations: German, Bundeswehr, REUTERS, NATO, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Hammelburg, Germany, Ukraine, Berlin, Dutch, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kyiv

☆ China and Taiwan loom large behind Ukraine at NATO summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —The presence of four Asia-Pacific leaders at the NATO summit this week suggests that Ukraine is not the only major security issue on the agenda of the European-North American defense alliance. For its part, China says Taiwan is an internal matter and it sees no role for countries in the region, let alone NATO members, to be interfering. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida waves before departing on a government plane on July 11, 2023, for the NATO summit. US President Joe Biden meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Oval Office of the White House on June 13, 2023. “NATO is a regional alliance of Europe and North America, but the challenges we face are global,” he wrote, noting the summit invitations for the Pacific leaders.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, ”, “, Wang Wenbin, Fumio Kishida, Yoon Suk Yeol, Anthony Albanese, Chris Hipkins, Fumio, Stoltenberg, Joe Biden, Kim Sun, Yoon, Alex Wong, Emmanuel Macron, Boris Pistorius Organizations: South Korea CNN, NATO, Foreign Affairs, Communist Party, Communist, Foreign, CNN, Japanese, Australian, New Zealand, Pacific ., Kyodo, US Institute of Peace, Pacific, White, South Korean, White House, NHK, Pacific . British, German Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Asia, Pacific, Ukraine, Beijing, China, Taiwan, Japan, Europe, South, Vilnius, Lithuania, “, lockstep, Paris, North American, France, Tokyo, North America, Guam, Canadian, American, Berlin

☆ German defense minister: Future of Ukraine is in NATO
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGerman defense minister: Future of Ukraine is in NATOBoris Pistorius, the German defense minister, speaks to CNBC's Steve Sedgwick at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Persons: NATO Boris Pistorius, Steve Sedgwick Organizations: NATO Locations: Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania

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