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☆ Photos show miles of Russia's infamous 'dragon's teeth' defenses that are holding up Ukrainian forces
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

New photos and video show Russia's fierce "dragon's teeth" anti-tank defenses along the front line. But the fearsome dragon's teeth often require skilled combat engineers to breach them, The Wall Street Journal reported last week. The United States sent Ukraine additional demolition munitions in June to help the country's combat engineers do battle against the dragon's teeth. New video from the Robotyne-Verbove area where fighting is ongoing also offers a look at the dragon's teeth defenses. The clip features the spiky dragon's teeth visible in the distance where the fortifications almost resemble a decidedly unfriendly white picket fence.

Persons: ”, Russia's, Ukraine's, Dmytro Kuleba, John Kirby, SRYnJGsRgY — Emil Kastehelmi, Emil Kastehelmi Organizations: Service, Ukraine's Security Service, CNN, Street, United, National Security, Twitter Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Russia, Russian, United States, Ukrainian, Russia's, Robotyne, Verbove

CNN —Ukraine’s counteroffensive is “moving forward” after Kyiv made some headway in its campaign to recapture territory seized by Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday. Despite everything and no matter what anyone says, we are advancing, and that is the most important thing. It is unclear if Zelensky is referring to a specific official or comment, but he appears to be trying to reverse the narrative that Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive has, to date, delivered poorer-than-expected results. Despite continued sluggish progress, Kyiv said in mid-July it felt no pressure for quick results. Zelensky and Kirby’s statements echo what Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Friday.

Persons: CNN —, Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Zelenksy, John Kirby, Dmytro Kuleba, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Kuleba, CNN Kuleba, you’re, ” Kuleba Organizations: CNN, Kyiv, US National Security Council, Russia’s Ministry of Defense, Ukrainian Locations: Russia, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia, Robotyne, Crimean, Kremlin, Kyiv, Verbove, United States

☆ Former generals weigh in on how much say the US should have in Ukraine's counteroffensive as Kyiv's frustration with critics boils over
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Ukraine has blamed a lack of equipment and tough defenses while some in the West have put the blame on Kyiv's forces. "Everyone is now an expert on how we should fight," Ukraine's defense ministry said on social media Thursday. He wrote that the general is "extremely talented," but "he has never before" coordinated the kind of operations Ukraine is executing now. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe US has reiterated that it will continue to support Ukraine's war effort, even as the counteroffensive is expected to potentially last for at least a couple more months and the conflict possibly for years. In a recent conversation with Insider about Ukrainian operations, Hodges said that the Ukrainians "have recognized that they have to adapt, which is what they're doing."

Persons: Dmytro Kuleba, it's, —, Jose Colon, Jack Keane, Keane, Metz, Michael O'Hanlon, George S, O'Hanlon, Hertling, Valery Zaluzhny, Diego Herrera Carcedo, Mick Ryan, Michael Kofman, Franz, Stefan Gady, Ben Hodges, David Petraeus, Mark Milley, Milley, Petraeus, Frederick Kagan, Hodges, Kyiv's, Ryan Organizations: Service, —, PKP, Ukrainian Army, Anadolu Agency, Getty, US Army, Institute for, Street, Patton's Third Army, NATO, intel, Army, Foreign Affairs, US Central Command, CNN, Joint Chiefs, Staff, The Washington Post, American Enterprise Institute, Russia, Nazis Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Kyiv, Europe, Chasiv Yar, Russia, Donetsk Oblast, America, Ukrainian, France, Metz, Vietnam, Korea, US Army Europe, Australian, American, Singapore, Japan, United States, Philippines

REUTERS/Mahamadou Hamidou Acquire Licensing RightsTOLEDO, Spain, Aug 31 (Reuters) - European Union foreign ministers meet in Spain on Thursday to discuss their response to last month's coup in Niger - including possible sanctions - as they also consider news of military officers declaring they have seized power in Gabon. Borrell said the EU was "moving forward" with work on a legal framework for sanctions against the junta in Niger and the foreign ministers would discuss it further on Thursday. Both the EU and ECOWAS have already imposed punitive economic and political measures on Niger but the framework would allow the EU to target specific individuals and organisations. Borrell said on Wednesday after an EU defence ministers' meeting that the EU would seek to mirror any measures taken by ECOWAS. Diplomats said another subject of discussion was how the EU should respond if ECOWAS asks for financial help for a military intervention to restore Niger's ousted government.

Persons: Ibro Amadou, Mahamadou, Dmytro Kuleba, Hassoumi Massoudou, Niger's, Omar Touray, Josep Borrell, Borrell, David Latona, Andrew Gray, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Nigerien, REUTERS, Rights, Union, Ukrainian Foreign, ECOWAS, Wednesday, West, EU, Diplomats, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, Rights TOLEDO, Spain, Gabon, West, Central, Toledo, Ukraine, West Africa's, EU

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Heavy fighting continues in Kherson; Ukraine opposes further grain restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

A local resident clears debris in her house, which was destroyed as a result of a missile strike on Kherson on Aug. 14, 2023. Heavy fighting continued in Ukraine's Kherson overnight, while Russian forces downed drones over the regions of Tula and Belgorod, according to official channels of each country. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Monday he was "adamantly against" any further grain import restrictions put in place by some of Ukraine's neighbors over the summer. The European Union allowed Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia to ban domestic sales of Ukrainian grains as they said a glut of produce unable to be exported by Ukraine posed challenges to their domestic farmers. The current bans expire on Sept. 15.

Persons: Dmytro Kuleba Organizations: Ukraine's, European Union Locations: Kherson, Ukraine's Kherson, Tula, Belgorod, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine

☆ Pope Francis draws criticism for extolling Russian imperialist tsars
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Pope Francis holds the weekly general audience, in Paul VI hall at the Vatican, August 9, 2023. You are heirs of the great Russia - the great Russia of the saints, of kings, the great Russia of Peter the Great, of Catherine II, the great Russian empire, cultured, so much culture, so much humanity. An editorial on Italy's Il Sismografo website, which specialises in Catholic affairs, called the pope's words "odd" at a delicate moment in history. Pope Francis is a Jesuit. The comment prompted Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to summon the Vatican's ambassador in Kyiv to protest, saying the pope's words were "unfair" and had "broken Ukraine's heart".

Persons: Pope Francis, Paul VI, Peter the Great, Vladimir Putin, Francis, Catherine II, Russia, Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Italy's, Catherine, Catherine the Great, Pope Clement XIV, Last, Putin, Tsar Peter the Great, propounding, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Nexta, Darya, Dmytro Kuleba, Ron Popeski, Tomasz Janowski, Alex Richardson Organizations: Vatican, Handout, REUTERS, CITY, Kremlin, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Facebook, Rite Catholic Church, Ukrainian, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, St . Petersburg, Russia, Crimea, Russian, Estonian, Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, Moscow, Kyiv

☆ China assures Russia it remains ‘impartial’ on Ukraine war after attending Saudi peace talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Lavrov “appreciates and welcomes the constructive role played by China” toward a political resolution of the “Ukraine crisis,” China’s Foreign Ministry said in their readout of Monday’s call. China has continued to bolster its economic, diplomatic, and security ties with Russia, despite Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which Beijing has never condemned. It did not send a delegation to previous international talks in Denmark in June, despite attempting to position itself as a potential peace broker on the conflict in recent months. That proposal, which Beijing put forward earlier this year, calls for peace talks to end the conflict. Ukraine and Russia remain publicly committed to prerequisites for direct negotiations that the other side finds unacceptable.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Wang Yi, Wang, Sergei Lavrov, ”, ” Wang, Lavrov “, Dmytro Kuleba, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Xi, Putin, China’s, Affairs Li Hui, “, …, Lavrov, Russia “, ” “, Qin Gang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Russian, China’s Foreign Ministry, Saudi, Ukraine’s, ”, Affairs, Reuters, CNN, Tass, Communist Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, Ukraine, Kyiv, Moscow, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, United States, Britain, Germany, India, Jeddah, ” Ukraine, American, Denmark, Europe, Washington

☆ China praises Ukraine talks in Saudi that Russia said were ‘doomed to fail’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Kremlin officials said Russia had not been invited to the talks but was monitoring them, state media reported. Beijing had steered clear of a previous round of talks in Denmark in June, but has deepened ties with Saudi Arabia in recent years. China scored a diplomatic win in the Middle East earlier this year when it helped broker a landmark normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran. In a statement from the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Saudi Arabia stressed the importance of “benefiting from views and positive suggestions” made during the meeting. In the meantime, the prospect of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine seem as far-fetched as ever, as the grueling war approaches the 18-month mark.

Persons: “, Musaed bin Mohammed Al, Jake Sullivan, Eurasian Affairs Li Hui, Li “, …, ”, Li, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, ” “, Dmytro Kuleba, Russia –, Sergei Ryabkov, Ryabkov Organizations: CNN, Beijing, Reuters, Kremlin, Saudi, Aiba, Eurasian Affairs, Western, China, Russia, Moscow ”, Saudi Press Agency Locations: Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Jeddah, United States, Beijing, Denmark, Saudi, Moscow, Ukraine’s, Kyiv, ” “ Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian, Riyadh, Iran, OPEC, India

BEIJING, Aug 6 (Reuters) - China's decision to join international talks in Saudi Arabia this weekend seeking to end Russia's war in Ukraine signals possible shifts in Beijing's approach but not a U-turn in its support for Moscow, analysts say. "Beijing will not want to be absent from other credible peace initiatives that are led by non-Western countries." China did not attend the talks in Copenhagen in late June, despite being invited and having proposed its own 12-point plan for peace. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called Li's involvement a "considerable breakthrough", according to Ukrainian media. While China's move was good for its image, Singapore-based analyst Li Mingjiang said Beijing would be looking to fine-tune its positions.

Persons: Yun Sun, Li Hui, Xi Jinping, Qin, Vladimir Putin, Dmytro Kuleba, Shen Dingli, Shen, China's, Li Mingjiang, Li, Geng Shuang, Moritz Rudolf, Yale Law School's Paul Tsai, Laurie Chen, Martin Quin Pollard, Greg Torode, William Mallard Organizations: NATO, Stimson, Qin Gang, People's Liberation Army Rocket Force, U.S, Ukrainian, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, United Nations, Security, Yale Law, Yale Law School's Paul Tsai China Center, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Moscow, Beijing, Denmark, Russia, China, Washington, Jeddah, Copenhagen, Shanghai, Singapore

☆ Ukraine and Croatia agree on use of Croatian ports for grain exports
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 31 (Reuters) - Ukraine and Croatia have agreed on the possibility of using Croatian ports on the Danube and the Adriatic Sea for the export of Ukrainian grain, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said after talks with his Croatian counterpart on Monday. Russia quit the U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain deal this month, depriving Ukraine, a global producer, of a vital conduit to safely export its agricultural products during the war. Ukraine currently relies on land export routes via the European Union as well as an alternative route via the Danube River. Kuleba said the main subject of his talks with his Croatian counterpart were weapons. Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka and Kyiv newsroom; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dmytro Kuleba, Russia, Kuleba, Grlic, Anna Pruchnicka, Andrew Cawthorne, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Croatian, European Union, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Croatia, Kyiv, Russia

☆ Olga Kharlan: Ukraine's top fencer granted place at Olympics after disqualification for not shaking hands with Russian opponent
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Svitlana Vlasova Victoria Butenko Tim Lister | Svitlana Vlasova | Victoria Butenko | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Olga Kharlan, leader of Ukraine’s national fencing team, was earlier disqualified at the tournament after she refused to shake hands with the Russian rival Anna Smirnova she defeated. An athlete’s refusal to shake hands after a contest results in a black card and expulsion, according to International Fencing Federation rules. The federation said it has met with Kharlan and spoken with the International Olympic Committee and finds the reinstatement “in keeping with the Olympic Spirit”. IOC chief’s interventionThat turnaround came came after a pointed intervention from the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, himself a former fencer. Meanwhile, Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina took to Twitter to support Kharlan, writing: “We are not shaking hands with Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Persons: Olga Kharlan, Anna Smirnova, Smirnova, Kharlan, Thomas Bach, Bach, ”, Olga Kharlan of, Tadashi Miyamoto, “, Dmytro Kuleba, ” Kharlan, Vladimir Putin, Marta Kostyuk, Kostyuk, Aryna Sabalenka, Sabalenka, won’t, Elina Svitolina Organizations: CNN, International Fencing Federation, Paris, Fencing, International Olympic Committee, IOC, Paris Olympics, Fencing Federation, Ukraine’s, Belarus, Aryna, Twitter Locations: Ukrainian, Italy, Russian, Ukraine, Milan, Olga Kharlan of Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, Belarusian

Port infrastructure on the Danube river is the target this time," regional governor Oleh Kiper wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Global wheat and corn futures rose sharply on concern that Russia's attacks and more fighting, including a drone strike on Moscow, could threaten grain exports and shipping. "Russia has in the past months not attacked Ukraine's overland and inland waterways grain infrastructure," one European trader said. Another European grain trader said: "It’s clearly an attack on additional Ukrainian grain export infrastructure. "Russia hit another Ukrainian grain storage overnight," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

Persons: Oleh Kiper, Reni, Odesa, Dmytro Kuleba, Valentyn Ogirenko, Michael Hogan, Tom Balmforth, Timothy Organizations: Press Service, Operational Command, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russia, Ukraine KYIV, European Union, Romania, Police, Maersk Group, Twitter, Ukraine's National Security, Defence Council, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Odesa Region, Russia, Kyiv, Port, Moscow, Reni, NATO, Romanian, Africa, Asia, Hamburg

ISLAMABAD, July 20 (Reuters) - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday called for the Black Sea grain initiative to be restored to meet the challenge of global food insecurity. "It is not only in our interest but in the world's interest that this grain initiative is restored," Zardari said. The Black Sea grain deal expired on Monday after Russia quit, despite a U.N. offer to President Vladimir Putin to re-establish access for a Russian bank to the SWIFT international payment system in return for an extension. The U.N. estimates the grain deal lowered food prices globally by 20%. Russia has warned that ships sailing to the Ukrainian Black Sea ports from Thursday will be seen as potential military targets.

Persons: Dmytro Kuleba, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, General Antonio Guterres, Zardari, Russia, Vladimir Putin, Kuleba, Asif Shahzad, David Evans, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Ukrainian, United Nations, Thomson, Reuters Locations: ISLAMABAD, Islamabad, Kyiv, Russia, Moscow, Pakistan, Russian, Chornomorsk, China, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Shahid, Karachi

But Shautsou’s statement was the first time the Belarus Red Cross has admitted taking part in the deportations. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Red Cross umbrella organization, expressed “grave concern” and called for the practice to stop. Dzmitry Shautsou, the Secretary General of the Belarusian Red Cross, pictured near the Polish border. “We have contacted the Belarus Red Cross to express our grave concern and to stop any similar activity in the future,” the statement said, adding that “actions by any of our member national Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies in contradiction with our humanitarian mission” are “taken extremely seriously.”The Ukrainian branch of the Red Cross has called for the IFRC to denounce the Belarus Red Cross’ involvement in the deportations. “We implore them to carefully consider the matter of excluding the Belarus Red Cross from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement,” the group said in a statement.

Persons: Dzmitry Shautsou, ” Shautsou, Ulf Mauder, Shautsou, ”, “, Dmytro Kuleba, Vladimir Putin, Rights Maria Lvova, Alexander Lukashenko, Putin, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin Organizations: CNN, Cross, International Federation of Red, Red Crescent Societies, Criminal Court, Belarus “, TV, Red Crescent Movement, Crescent, ICC, Twitter, Russian, Rights, Ukraine Russia, Crisis Management Group Locations: Belarusian, Belarus, Ukraine, Republic of Belarus, Russia, Rome, Polish, Severodonetsk

☆ UN says ideas 'floated' on how to get Ukraine, Russia grain to world
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

UNITED NATIONS, July 18 (Reuters) - There are a "number of ideas being floated" to help get Ukrainian and Russian grain and fertilizer to global markets after Moscow quit a deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain, the United Nations said on Tuesday. Ukraine and Russia are among the world's top grain exporters. However, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "will continue to explore all possible avenues to ensure that Ukrainian grain, Russian grain, Russian fertilizer are out on the global market," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said an alternative to the Black Sea grain deal had to be found and "there are very active discussions now." He said the export of Ukrainian grain through Europe would not be able to "compensate for the absence of deliveries from Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea."

Persons: Russia's, Antonio Guterres, U.N, Stephane Dujarric, Dmytro Kuleba, Kuleba, Michelle Nichols, Tim Ahmann, William Maclean Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, Moscow, United Nations, Ukraine's, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Moscow, U.N, Europe

☆ Zelenskyy said he thinks Ukraine can defeat Russia by next July. His own officials are significantly less optimistic.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Zelenskyy told reporters Wednesday that he thinks Ukraine can defeat Russia within one year. Few experts predict that Ukraine can achieve victory over Russia quickly, if at all. NATO said in 2008 that Ukraine could join at a future date, but declined its September 2022 request for "fast-track" membership. Earlier in the summit Zelenskyy decried the lack of a defined timeline as "unprecedented and absurd." Experts previously told Insider that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine that could end the war remain a distant prospect.

Persons: Zelenskyy, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mykhailo Podolyak, Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, Kuleba, Valery Zaluzhny, Zaluzhny, John E . Herbst, Putin Organizations: Service, NATO, Presidential, Foreign Affairs, Radio Free, Washington Post Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Europe, Washington , DC, Washington, Ukrainian, NATO

☆ What Zelensky wanted from NATO – and what he got
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —At last year’s NATO summit in Madrid, the alliance formally invited Sweden and Finland to join its ranks. But NATO membership is far more significant than military hardware, and it may be some time before Kyiv’s final wish is granted. “This means that a window of opportunity is being left to bargain Ukraine’s membership in NATO in negotiations with Russia. However, the ultimate goal of NATO membership looks likely to elude Zelensky for some time. Wallace reminded reporters Wednesday that before the summit the question of Ukraine’s NATO membership was still an “if.” Now, it’s a “when.”

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Zaporizhzhia –, Putin’s, ” Zelensky, Pavel Golovkin, Joe Biden, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Biden, ” “ We’re, We’re, ”, Ben Wallace, Wallace, ” Biden, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Dmytro Kuleba, “, Jens Stoltenberg Organizations: CNN, NATO, Kyiv, Ukraine, Sweden’s, AP, Sunday, UK, Getty, Foreign, Twitter Locations: Madrid, Sweden, Finland, Vilnius, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Vilnius ’, Lithuania’s, United States, Russia, NATO, Zelensky, AFP, Kyiv, Vilnius –, Germany, France

☆ NATO Summit 2023: Biden and alliance leaders enter summit with a show of force
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Betsy Klein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Vilnius, Lithuania CNN —President Joe Biden and alliance leaders enter the first day of the high-stakes NATO Summit Tuesday with a reinvigorated sense of unity after a major win on Monday evening when Turkey agreed to Sweden’s bid to join the alliance. Biden and other members have touted unprecedented unity among the alliance in the face of Russia’s war, and the move also provides leaders a significant show of force going into the summit. “We’re coming into this consequential summit with a full head of steam,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in Vilnius Tuesday morning. “When the NATO summit gets underway, our alliance will not only be bigger and stronger than ever, it will be more united, more purposeful, and more energized than at any point in modern memory. He pointed to questions about unity in the past week as he warned that the Vilnius summit will “very much disappoint” Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Persons: Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin’s, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Biden, Jake Sullivan, Biden’s, ”, Sullivan, Ulf Kristersson, Antony Blinken, Vladimir Putin, ” Sullivan, “, ’ Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Dmytro Kuleba, Kuleba, ” Biden, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Zakaria, Rishi Sunak, Gitanas Nausėda, Jens Stoltenberg, Erdoğan, Sunak, King Charles III Organizations: Lithuania CNN, NATO, Biden, Swedish, White, Transatlantic Alliance, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Ukraine, US, United, Prime, Oslo Convention, Lithuania, Windsor Castle Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, Turkey, Russia, Sweden, Lithuanian, Turkish, Hungary, Ukraine, Oslo, United States, Windsor

[1/7] Top ranking official attendees of the NATO summit pose for a family picture in Bucharest April 3, 2008. And officials often cite the Bucharest declaration as a reference point. The parallels with the 2008 summit, held in the colossal Parliament Palace commissioned by Romanian communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, have struck many NATO-watchers. But others argue that promising Ukraine NATO membership after the war could encourage Putin to keep the conflict going. They say the Bucharest declaration in fact prompted Putin to test Western Ukrainian militarily in both Ukraine and Georgia.

Persons: Francois Lenoir, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Dmytro Kuleba, Nicolae Ceausescu, Orysia, Zelenskiy, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, Timothy Sayle, Andrew Gray, Kevin Liffey Organizations: NATO, REUTERS, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Chatham House, Russia, Ukraine NATO, University of Toronto, Thomson Locations: Bucharest, VILNIUS, Vilnius, Ukraine, Georgia, U.S, United States, France, Germany, Russia, Moscow, Soviet Union, NATO, Romanian, Russian, Eastern, Ossetia, Tbilisi, Crimea, Ukraine's

☆ Ukraine says NATO drops Membership Action Plan hurdle to joining
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Ukraine and NATO signs are seen on a building in Vilnius, Lithuania July 10, 2023. REUTERS/Ints KalninsKYIV, July 10 (Reuters) - NATO has decided to drop a requirement for Ukraine to follow a Membership Action Plan (MAP) setting out targets to be met before joining the military alliance, Ukraine's foreign minister said on Monday. In comments on the eve of a NATO summit, he said such a move would shorten Ukraine's path to joining the alliance. "Following intensive talks, NATO allies have reached consensus on removing MAP from Ukraine's path to membership. "It is also the best moment to offer clarity on the invitation to Ukraine to become member," Kuleba said on Twitter.

Persons: Dmytro Kuleba, Vladimir Putin, Kuleba, Anna Pruchnicka, Timothy Organizations: NATO, REUTERS, Twitter, British, Kyiv, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania, Ints, KYIV, Lithuanian, Russia's, Kyiv

☆ US, Ukraine's top diplomats hold 'important' call before NATO summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger//File PhotoJuly 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said late on Sunday they held a phone call to discuss this week's NATO summit and Kyiv's counteroffensive campaign to reclaim land taken by Russia. "I had an important discussion with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba today ahead of this week's NATO Summit," Blinken said on Twitter. The U.S. Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a separate statement that the two diplomats discussed also "progress in Ukraine's counteroffensive." Kuleba said on Twitter that the call was to work out details ahead of the NATO summit, which starts on Tuesday in Vilnius. "I had a productive call with Secretary Blinken ahead of Vilnius," Kuleba said on Twitter.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Sarah Silbiger, Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken, Matthew Miller, Kuleba, Joe Biden, Lidia Kelly, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: State Department, Washington , D.C, REUTERS, Ukraine's, Sunday, NATO, Ukrainian Foreign, Twitter, U.S . Department of State, Thomson Locations: Washington ,, Russia, Vilnius, Ukraine, U.S, Melbourne, Bengaluru

☆ Wimbledon 2023: 500 days after the invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian players are playing at Wimbledon. Here’s how it’s going
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

During the opening week, fans at Wimbledon have generally been quite warm to the Russian and Belarusian players but they’ve been especially enthusiastic to the Ukrainians. Unfortunately, they could not fight the professional Tours and others on their own,” added Zukin, who also said the ATP and WTA could do more to support Ukrainian players. CNN reached out to the WTA, ATP and The Russian Tennis Federation for comment. Tension simmers behind the scenesAway from the crowds and the cameras, Russian and Ukrainian tennis players revealed there are also strained relationships in Wimbledon’s locker rooms. Sabalenka condemned the booing and said she understands why Ukrainian players won’t shake her hand.

Persons: London CNN —, ”, they’ve, Sabalenka, I’m, Shi Tang, Russian Veronika Kudermetova’s, Elina Svitolina, ” Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, Tim Clayton, Corbis, Dmytro Kuleba, “, ” Kubela, Ian Hewitt, Yevhen Zukin, Kudermetova, Ben Rothenberg, Rothenberg, It’s, ” “, Marta Kostyuk, Javier Garcia, Kostyuk, Aryna Sabalenka, won’t, Anastasia Potapova, Iga, Slovakia’s Anna, Karolína, Svitolina, Daniil Medvedev Organizations: London CNN, Wimbledon, Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, CNN, Russian, Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, Azarenka, Ukraine’s, Russia, All England, Tennis Federation of, Tennis Association, ATP, WTA, Russian Tennis Federation, Tennis, CNN Sport, Belarus, Aryna, Spartak Moscow, Melbourne Locations: Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Belarusian, Russian, Svitolina’s, Odesa, Tennis Federation of Ukraine, Ukrainian, Kyiv, ” Russian

☆ Ukraine steps up calls for 'political invitation' to join NATO
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, June 27 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stepped up calls for Ukraine to receive a "political invitation" to join NATO when the military alliance holds a summit in Lithuania next month. Zelenskiy also reiterated demands for security guarantees if Ukraine, which has been invaded by Russia, is not given membership of the alliance in the near future. "There is every reason for a political invitation for Ukraine to join the Alliance," he wrote on the Telegram messaging app. He said there was "a full understanding of the security guarantees for Ukraine until the moment of accession" but gave no further details. Zelenskiy has also said he recognises it would be impossible to join while Russia's war in Ukraine is still raging.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Oleksii Reznikov, Dmytro Kuleba, Andriy Yermak, Anna Pruchnicka, Timothy Organizations: NATO, Alliance, Ukraine, Kyiv, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Vilnius . Defence, Foreign, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Lithuania, Russia, Vilnius, United States, Germany, Europe, Kyiv

☆ Analysis: Mutiny lays bare prospect for Putin of 'forever war' in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Tom Balmforth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

But current and former officials in Kyiv say the mutiny offered a startling glimpse into the strain the Russian political system is under. It revealed that Russian reserve forces were so thin they struggled to respond to the threat. A war stretching many more months and possibly years would inevitably mean more deaths and wounded on each side. U.S. officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said much remained unclear, including why Russian forces did not do more to halt Wagner's advance. A senior Central European diplomat said they saw "no immediate effect on the war" from Prigozhin's aborted mutiny.

Persons: Wagner, Stringer, Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner, Andriy Zagorodniuk, Putin, Prigozhin's Wagner, Zagorodniuk, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Dmytro Kuleba, Mykhailo Podolyak, Voldomyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Pavel Polityuk, Andrew Gray, Phil Stewart, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Southern Military District, REUTERS, Reuters, Central, National Resistance Centre, Airborne Assault Division, Defence Ministry, Thomson Locations: Rostov, Don, Russia, KYIV, Ukraine, Belarus, Kyiv, Moscow, Russia's, Russian, hurtling, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Brussels, Washington

☆ Ukraine: Chaos in Russia works to our advantage
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Lidia Kelly | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 25 (Reuters) - Chaos in Russia works to Kyiv's advantage, Ukraine officials said on Saturday, but it remains to be seen whether President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his army can capitalise on the disorder caused this weekend as mercenaries marched towards Moscow. "Today the world saw that the masters of Russia do not control anything. Just complete chaos," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address, urging Ukraine's allies to use the moment and send more weapons to Kyiv. "Any chaos behind the enemy lines works in our interests," State-run Ukrinform news agency quoted Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba as saying on Saturday. Putin called Prigozhin's actions a "blow to Russia", but there were no immediate signs his rule was threatened.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Prigozhin, Zelenskiy, Ukraine's, Vladimir Putin, Dmytro Kuleba, Putin, Sergei Shoigu, Kuleba, Antony Blinken, Oleksiy Danilov, Lidia Kelly, Tom Hogue Organizations: U.S, U.S . State Department, Kyiv, National Security, Defence Council, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Belarus, Kyiv, Washington, Krasnohorivka, Donetsk, Melbourne

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