live U.S. pressure on Iran intensifies as sanctions and blockade take hold
U.S. efforts to squeeze Iran’s economy through an oil blockade and sanctions are becoming increasingly difficult for Tehran to withstand, acc...
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius met in Washington on 14 July to discuss increasing NATO defence spending and support for Ukraine.
Hegseth praised Germany’s commitment to defence spending within NATO, viewing it as a sign of European leadership. He expressed hope that U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies would further strengthen this cooperation.
Pistorius emphasised the longstanding and strong partnership between the U.S. and Germany, describing it as a cornerstone of the transatlantic alliance.
He stated that Germany aims to take a leading role among allies by increasing defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. Germany has eased constitutional debt limits to meet NATO’s target of raising defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2029. This move will increase Germany’s defence budget from €95 billion in 2025 to €162 billion by 2029.
During the talks, the German side sought clarification on U.S. arms supplies to Ukraine, the deployment of Patriot missile systems, and the future size of U.S. forces in Europe.
Pistorius also confirmed Germany’s readiness to fund U.S.-made Patriot missile systems destined for Ukraine—a proposal previously put forward by Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that Patriot missiles would be sent to Ukraine, with costs to be covered by the European Union.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he thinks there is a chance of a peace being reached with Ukraine. He told the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia that he believed there was "a chance of finding a solution," to the conflict.
The U.S. has launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sites as Tehran retaliated against U.S. positions across the region, while Iranian officials said at least five people were killed and dozens wounded at a wedding near Sirik.
The Iranian Health Ministry said at least 18 people were killed and 142 others injured in U.S. airstrikes carried out between 30 August and 2 September.
The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas says the bloc will tighten enforcement of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. EU foreign ministers were meeting in Ireland following renewed Russian strikes on cities across Ukraine.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 3rd of September, covering the latest developments.
Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskyy says envoys from the United States will be visiting Moscow and Kyiv to negotiate an end to the conflict.
The Trump administration pressured U.S. space companies not to attend a high-profile space summit in Paris organised by French President Emmanuel Macron, prompting a last-minute reshuffle and the cancellation of some planned announcements, according to sources familiar with the matter.
A Russian court on Thursday imposed restrictions on Lida Moniava, the founder of a children’s hospice, who is accused of spreading false information about the Russian military’s actions in Ukraine.
China’s state-owned shipping giant COSCO has used concealed equipment aboard some of its vessels to collect intelligence on military communications near the coastlines of countries including the U.S., according to two senior Trump administration officials.
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation that would block federal funding for universities that boycott Israel, as Republicans push ahead with pro-Israel measures despite growing criticism of the Israeli government over the war in Gaza.
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