Page 5 - Us Russia
Gabbard's claims of anti-Trump conspiracy not supported by documents
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard this month declassified material that she claimed proved a treasonous conspiracy by the Obama administration in 2016 to politicise US intelligence in service of casting doubt on the legitimacy of Donald Trump's election victory. As evidence, Gabbard cited newly declassified emails from Obama officials and a five-year-old classified House report in hopes of undermining the intelligence community's conclusion that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to boost Trump and denigrate his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. Russia's activities during the 2016 election remain some of the most examined events in recent history. The Kremlin's campaign and the subsequent US government response were the subject of at least five major investigations by the Republican-led House and Senate intelligence committee; two Justice Department special counsels; and the department's inspector general. Those investigations either concluded or accepted the
US State Department approves $322 mn in proposed weapons sales to Ukraine
The State Department said Wednesday that it has approved $322 million in proposed weapons sales to Ukraine to enhance its air defense capabilities and provide armored combat vehicles, coming as the country works to fend off escalating Russian attacks. The potential sales, which the department said were notified to Congress, include $150 million for the supply, maintenance, repair and overhaul of U.S. armored vehicles, and $172 million for surface-to-air missile systems. The approvals come weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed a pause on other weapons shipments to Ukraine to allow the Pentagon to assess its weapons stockpiles, in a move that caught the White House by surprise. President Donald Trump then made an abrupt change in posture, pledging publicly earlier this month to continue to send weapons to Ukraine. We have to, Trump said. They have to be able to defend themselves. They're getting hit very hard now. We're going to send some more weapons defensive weapons
Russian strikes in Ukraine kill child, injure 24 ahead of peace talks
Russian forces struck three Ukrainian cities in overnight attacks, killing a child and wounding at least 24 people, officials said Tuesday, a day before a planned third round of direct peace talks between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's announcement late Monday that the negotiations would take place generated little hope they would deliver any progress on ending the three-year war. That is despite the Trump administration's efforts to push forward peace efforts, which have stalled as Russian President Vladimir Putin is reluctant to budge from his demands. The previous two rounds were held in Istanbul, and Russian media reports said the Turkish city likely would also host the meeting this time. The talks in May and June led to a series of exchanges of prisoners of war and the bodies of fallen soldiers but produced no other agreements. The war has continued unabated, meanwhile. Russia is driving hard to break through at eastern and northeaste
BP-chartered tanker leaves port of Nayara Energy without loading diesel
The vessel was supposed to load ultra low sulphur diesel on July 21 with the cargo bound for Africa
Next round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks to be held on July 23: Zelenskyy
Moscow and Kyiv have already conducted two rounds of negotiations in Istanbul earlier this year
Russia launches airstrike on Kyiv hours before talks on support for Ukraine
Russia unleashed one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine in recent months, only hours before the UK and Germany are to chair a meeting to discuss US President Donald Trump's plans for NATO allies to provide Ukraine with weapons. The attack killed two people and wounded 15, including a 12-year-old, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The drone and missile assault on Kyiv overnight into Monday underscored the urgency of Ukraine's need for further Western military aid, especially in air defence, a week after Trump said deliveries would arrive in Ukraine within days. The virtual meeting will be led by British Defense Secretary John Healey and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius. Healey said US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and NATO leader Mark Rutte, as well as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Gen Alexus Grynkewich, will attend the meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group. Moscow has intensified its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities, and analysts say
Zelenskyy's cabinet overhaul brings in allies who can deal with Trump
That agreement, which gave Trump a win in an otherwise fruitless effort to end Russia's war on Ukraine, came together after weeks of grinding negotiations
EU targets Russia's energy revenue, shadow fleet with new sanctions
The European Union approved on Friday a new raft of sanctions against Russia over its war on Ukraine, including a lower oil price cap, a ban on transactions with Nord Stream gas pipelines, and the targeting of more shadow fleet ships, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. The message is clear: Europe will not back down in its support for Ukraine. The EU will keep raising the pressure until Russia ends its war, Kallas said in a statement. Kallas said the EU move amounts to one of its strongest sanctions packages against Russia to date, linked to the war, which is now in its fourth year. It comes as European countries start to buy US weapons for Ukraine to help the country better defend itself. The European Commission, the EU's executive branch, had proposed to lower the oil price cap from USD 60 to USD 45, which is lower than the market price, to target Russia's vast energy revenues. The EU had hoped to get major international powers in the Group of Seven countries involved in
Energy needs our priority, no double standards please: India to Nato
MEA says securing India's energy needs is a top priority and cautions against double standards amid NATO threat of secondary sanctions over Russian oil imports
'Can you hit Moscow, St Petersburg?' Trump asked Zelenskyy in July 4 call
The remarks were made during a July 4 phone call, following a separate call Trump held with Putin a day earlier, which he reportedly described as 'bad'
Trump vows 100% tariff on Russia if war in Ukraine not stopped in 50 days
Without providing details, Trump said that the levies on Russia would come in the form of secondary tariffs
US pushes bipartisan bill on Russia sanctions; brief EU allies, Ukraine
The co-sponsors of a new bipartisan U.S. sanctions package targeting Russia briefed European allies and Ukraine on the legislation Thursday, in an effort to show continued resolve to help Kyiv and force Moscow to the negotiating table through what they describe as a game-changer bill. The bill backed by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal calls for a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports targeting nations like China and India, which account for roughly 70% of Russia's energy trade and bankroll much of its war effort. Graham and Blumenthal told The Associated Press in Rome that they hope to bring the legislation to a vote in the Senate before the August recess. They said Thursday they are convinced that it would give President Donald Trump the tools and flexibility he needs to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the war. We're not gonna play whack-a-mol
Rubio echoes Trump's frustration over stalled peace talks in Lavrov meet
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Trump is going to do everything he can within his power to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine
Trump backs 500% tariff on India's Russian oil trade to pressure Putin
The proposed US bill seeks harsh penalties on Russian oil buyers like India and China, aiming to choke Kremlin's war funding and compel an end to the Ukraine war
'He could get offended': Putin halts forum to take Donald Trump's call
Vladimir Putin tells Donald Trump that Russia will not back down in Ukraine, open to talks; both leaders discuss Iran tensions, US weapons pause, and push for diplomatic solutions
China to EU: Russian defeat in Ukraine may push US to target Beijing next
China's Wang Yi told the EU that a Russian defeat would shift US pressure to China, denied aiding Moscow, and hinted at cutting trade dialogue in protest
New CIA report slams investigation into Russia's support for Trump in 2016
A declassified CIA memo released Wednesday challenges the work intelligence agencies did to conclude that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election because it wanted Republican Donald Trump to win. The memo was written on the orders of CIA Director John Ratcliffe, a Trump loyalist who spoke out against the Russia investigation as a member of Congress. It finds fault with a 2017 intelligence assessment that concluded the Russian government, at the direction of President Vladimir Putin, waged a covert influence campaign to help Trump win. It does not address that multiple investigations since then, including from the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee in 2020, reached the same conclusion about Russia's influence and motives. The eight-page document is part of an ongoing effort by Trump and close allies who now lead key government agencies to revisit the history of a long-concluded Russia investigation, which resulted in criminal indictments and shadowed most of hi
India, China to face 500% US tariff? Trump backs Russia sanctions bill
The Senate bill, backed by Trump, seeks to penalise nations buying Russian oil; it could reshape US trade ties with India and China amid Ukraine conflict
Russia not delaying Ukraine peace talks, says Kremlin after US claims
Asked about the remarks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia was grateful to Trump's team for helping to facilitate talks but that Moscow was not stalling the talks
Trump thanks Iran for 'early notice' before bombing US base in Qatar
President Donald Trump thanked Iran for giving the US and allies early notice of Monday's retaliatory missile strike aimed at a major US military installation in the Gulf nation of Qatar. The president expressed hope that Tehran with its reprisal for the US bombardment of three key Iranian nuclear facilities had "gotten it all out of their system' and that the moment would lead to a de-escalation in the Israel-Iran war. I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done, Trump said on social media. I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured. Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same." The Iranian attack on US forces at Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base marked Tehran's first act of direct retaliation against the US since Trump ordered strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Leon Panetta, who served
