Northern European countries must significantly boost military drone production to help Ukraine defeat Russia, Latvia’s Prime Minister has said, warning that victory would be “impossible” without greater support.
Speaking ahead of a Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) summit in Helsinki, attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa said more drones were urgently needed.
“We need to manufacture and produce more… without those capabilities, I think it’s impossible now to win the war,” she told reporters in the Finnish capital.
Siliņa also said Ukraine’s allies must press ahead with further sanctions against Moscow and continue targeting Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of unregistered tankers, used to bypass Western restrictions and export oil at market prices.
“Already we can see that those economic issues for Russia are very very tough,” she added.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten echoed her remarks, urging JEF countries to “team up with Ukraine” to boost drone production.
He warned that rising tensions in the Middle East could divert resources away from Ukraine.
“The war with Iran and the bigger escalation in the Middle East is a threat to Ukraine because we are spending so much now in the Middle East,” he said.
The JEF is a U.K.-led military partnership of 10 northern European countries, all of them NATO members. Leaders at the Helsinki summit are discussing the Ukraine-Russia war, North Atlantic security and the future of the alliance.
Ahead of the meeting, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that the West was facing a “war on two fronts.”
“There’s the Iranian conflict and the continuing Ukrainian conflict,” he said.
Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz on Friday (17 April) following a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, ra...
Australia and Japan signed contracts on Saturday (18 April) launching their landmark A$10 billion ($7 billion) dea...
Global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has shown signs of partial recovery after Iran announced it was open to commercial vessels during a li...
Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping on Friday (17 April) for the first time since the U.S. and Israel killed Iran's ex-Su...
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has said his country could provide a “safe corridor” and “alternative route” for regional ...
An average of at least 47 women and girls were killed each day during the war in Gaza, according to new figures released by UN Women.
A remarkable discovery at the ancient ruins of Sanxingdui offers a glimpse into what appears to be otherworldly craftsmanship - an axe believed to have been made using material from a meteorite.
China is seeking to strengthen and upgrade its cooperation with Turkmenistan, focusing on what officials describe as “high-quality development” across a range of sectors.
Kazakhstan plans to boost trade with Afghanistan from $500 million to $3 billion, backed by infrastructure and transit projects designed to strengthen regional connectivity and improve access to global markets.
The past 24 hours of the Russia-Ukraine war have seen a drastic escalation in both aerial bombardment and frontline losses.
Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping on Friday (17 April) for the first time since the U.S. and Israel killed Iran's ex-Supreme Leader in air strikes, triggering the Middle East conflict, at the end of February. A U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, however, remains in force.
Russia published addresses of manufacturers allegedly producing drones or components for Ukraine on Wednesday (15 April), warning European countries against plans to step up UAV supplies to Kyiv.
Netflix shares fell sharply on Friday after the streaming group issued a weaker-than-expected outlook and said chairman and co-founder Reed Hastings will step down from the board.
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.
Australia and Japan signed contracts on Saturday (18 April) launching their landmark A$10 billion ($7 billion) deal to supply Australia with warships, Tokyo's most consequential military sale since ending a military export ban in 2014.
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.
NeaNearly 900 Rohingya refugees were reported missing or dead in the Andaman Sea off Myanmar in 2025, making it the deadliest year on record, the United Nations Refugee Agency said on Friday.
Tens of thousands of people filled a stadium in Douala on Friday, hoping to catch a glimpse of Pope Leo during what is expected to be the largest event of his African tour.
AmerAmerican businesses are preparing for a major moment next week as the U.S. government launches a long-awaited system to return billions in unlawfully collected tariffs.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment