This is Beirut - Ukraine

Zelensky 'Not Ready' to Sign Minerals Deal with US

This is Beirut, 16:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky United States Donald Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is "not ready" to sign a deal that would give the United States preferential access to his country's rare earth minerals, a Ukrainian source told AFP. US President Donald Trump wants Ukraine to give US companies access as compensation for the tens of billions of dollars of aid delivered under his predecessor ...

ECB rate hikes result in record loss in 2024

This is Beirut, 20/02 16:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Ukraine

The European Central Bank on Thursday reported a record loss in 2024 after it had aggressively hiked eurozone interest rates in response to soaring inflation. The ECB lost 7.9 billion euros ($8.3 billion) last year, the second straight year the Frankfurt-based institution has been in the red. In 2023, the central bank was down 1.3 billion euros, ...

Trump’s Art of the Deal: Ukraine, Russia, and the $500 Billion Power Play

Salam El Zaatari, 20/02 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Ukraine Donald Trump USA Russia

If you think diplomacy is about treaties and handshakes, you haven’t been paying attention. In the world of Donald J. Trump, geopolitics is just another business deal. And in his latest playbook for Ukraine, he’s offering a trade deal that sounds more like a corporate takeover than a peace agreement. Here’s the pitch: Ukraine, battered by ...

Trump Brands Zelensky 'a Dictator'

This is Beirut, 19/02 18:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump called Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky a "dictator" Wednesday, widening a personal rift with major implications for efforts to end the conflict triggered by Russia's invasion three years ago. The United States had provided funding and arms to Ukraine but, in an abrupt policy shift since coming to power, Trump has ...

Macron Holds New Emergency Talks on Ukraine

This is Beirut, 19/02 18:04 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Emmanuel Macron France Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday held a new meeting on Ukraine in a bid to coordinate a European response to what he called an "existential threat" from Russia after a shock policy shift in Washington. Macron was speaking to leaders of 19 countries including Canada, with most taking part by video link, according to the ...

US Envoy Set for Kyiv Talks After Trump Rips Zelensky

This is Beirut, 19/02 04:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States Ukraine Russia Volodymyr Zelensky Donald Trump

Trump's special envoy was in Kyiv Wednesday, saying he was there to "listen" to Kyiv's concerns, a day after the US president tore into his Ukrainian counterpart in a surprise press conference. Speaking on Tuesday, after Russian and US officials met in Saudi Arabia for their first high-level talks in over three years without ...

Macron Says Trump 'Can Restart Useful Dialogue' with Putin

This is Beirut, 18/02 22:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Ukraine France Emmanuel Macron Donald Trump

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday that he will host another meeting on Ukraine after the talks between the new US administration and Russia, adding that Donald Trump "can restart a useful dialogue" with Vladimir Putin. In an interview with French regional newspapers, Macron again appeared open to the idea of sending ...

Zelensky Slams US-Russia Talks, Urges 'Fair' Negotiations

This is Beirut, 18/02 18:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday criticized US-Russia talks for excluding Kyiv, saying efforts to end the war must be "fair" and involve European countries, including Turkey. His remarks came after Washington and Moscow said they would name teams to negotiate a path to ending the war in Ukraine during their first ...

Russia Tells US It Opposes Any NATO Member Sending Troops to Ukraine

This is Beirut, 18/02 16:36 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

USA Ukraine Donald Trump US Secretary of State Russia

Russia told the United States in talks on Tuesday that it opposed any NATO member sending troops to Ukraine as part of a ceasefire, Moscow's foreign minister said. "The appearance of troops of armed forces from the same NATO countries, whether under a foreign flag, under the flag of the European Union or under national flags, does not ...

EU tells US Europe Wants to 'partner' on Ukraine Peace

This is Beirut, 18/02 12:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union Ukraine USA Ursula von der Leyen

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen told US envoy Keith Kellogg on Tuesday that Europe wants to work with Washington for peace in Ukraine, and is ready to do more to arm Kyiv. "Financially and militarily, Europe has brought more to the table than anyone else. And we will step up," von der Leyen wrote on X after meeting Kellogg in Brussels. "We want to ...

UK's Starmer Says 'US Backstop' Ukraine's Only Defense Against Russia

This is Beirut, 17/02 22:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United Kingdom Ukraine Keir Starmer

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday warned that a "US security guarantee" would be the "only way" to prevent Russia from attacking Ukraine again in the event of peace. "I'm prepared to consider committing British forces on the ground alongside others if there is a lasting peace agreement, but there must be a US backstop, because a US ...

EU Pushes to Boost Weapons Deliveries for Ukraine

This is Beirut, 17/02 16:41 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Ukraine USA Donald Trump European Union Russia

The EU is pressing its member states to bolster supplies of key weaponry to Ukraine this year, including air defences, missiles and at least 1.5 million artillery shells, a proposal seen by AFP Monday said. Europe is scrambling to offer backing to Kyiv after US President Donald Trump blindsided allies by launching peace efforts with Russia over ...