live Trump says Iran agrees to keep Strait of Hormuz open, as Tehran confirm shipping access- Friday, 17 April
U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, have said the Strait...
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has nominated former prime minister Denys Shmyhal as Ukraine’s new defence minister, pledging to increase domestic arms production to cover half of frontline needs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Wednesday that he has formally submitted the nomination of former prime minister Denys Shmyhal to serve as the country’s next defence minister. The move comes amid a broader government reshuffle and Zelenskyy’s push to expand Ukraine’s military production capabilities.
Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s parliament accepted the resignation of Shmyhal and his entire cabinet. Zelenskyy has proposed current Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko to take over as head of the government.
In his statement, Zelenskyy said the Ministry of Defence would now oversee strategic industries, marking a shift in how Ukraine coordinates its military and industrial sectors. Herman Smetanin has been selected to lead the state arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom.
Currently, about 40 percent of Ukraine’s military equipment is produced domestically. Zelenskyy outlined a target of raising that figure to 50 percent within six months under the new government.
He stressed that boosting local arms output is critical not only to sustain the country’s war effort, but also to expand military operations deeper into Russian territory. Such an approach, he argued, would increase the cost of war for Russia and pressure President Vladimir Putin to engage more seriously in ceasefire discussions.
Zelenskyy expressed confidence in the restructuring, saying it would strengthen Ukraine’s long-term security posture and improve its capacity to resist Russian aggression through self-reliance and innovation in defence production.
The past 24 hours of the Russia-Ukraine war have seen a drastic escalation in both aerial bombardment and frontline losses.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, have said the Strait of Hormuz is now “completely open” to all commercial shipping for the remainder of the ceasefire period. Araghchi links the move to the ceasefire in Lebanon.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that there was a "good chance" of a peace deal between Lebanon and Israel happening soon, after he announced a 10-day ceasefire between the two countries.
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U.S. President Donald Trump says Israeli and Lebanese leaders have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire that includes Hezbollah, raising cautious hopes of a pause in hostilities after weeks of escalating tensions.
European leaders have set out plans for a coordinated defensive mission to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, once security conditions allow, following talks involving more than 40 countries.
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