G20 talks overshadowed by tensions over Russia as ministers clash over Ukraine
Deep divisions over Russia's war in Ukraine overshadowed a G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta on Friday, as European officials criti...
Kyiv, Ukraine, February 24, 2025 – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a new military aid package worth €1 billion (approximately $1.047 billion) for Ukraine during a summit in Kyiv marking the third anniversary of the war.
The package underscores Spain’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s defense and furthering European security.
“We will continue supporting Ukraine as long as it takes. We will not let you down when you need us the most,” Sánchez declared at the summit. The aid package comes as part of Spain’s broader strategy to bolster Ukraine’s military capabilities and is viewed as a significant gesture of solidarity amid ongoing conflict.
In his remarks, Sánchez also urged Ukraine to pursue closer ties with the European Union. “Whatever happens in the coming months, Ukraine’s accession to the EU would be the most important victory for the Ukrainian people,” he said, adding, “Ukraine’s hope is in Europe, but Europe’s hope is also in Ukraine. You are giving us hope by defending the values and ideals of freedom for which many Europeans gave their lives in the past.”
Sánchez stressed the need for a comprehensive approach to peace negotiations, emphasizing that any sustainable and just peace process must involve Ukraine at the negotiation table and active European participation. “For peace to be just, Ukraine must sit at the negotiation table. For peace to be sustainable, Europe has to participate in it. For peace to be comprehensive, it cannot be a mere ceasefire,” he explained.
In addition to the military aid, the Spanish premier announced plans to work closely with Ukraine on post-conflict reconstruction. As part of this effort, Spain will establish a “Ukraine hub” in the province of Alicante to support the Ukrainian diaspora. Government figures indicate that nearly 315,000 Ukrainians were residing in Spain as of December 31, 2024.
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Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia remains willing to rebuild relations with European countries but warned that any wider conflict on the continent would leave no winners, as he commented on recent diplomatic contacts with Nordic leaders and growing security concerns in the Baltic region.
Deep divisions over Russia's war in Ukraine overshadowed a G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta on Friday, as European officials criticised Moscow's participation and refused to join a traditional group photograph with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global body responsible for monitoring money laundering and terrorist financing risks, has removed four countries from its so-called “grey list” after determining they had made sufficient progress in addressing weaknesses in their financial cr
The death toll from the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed 5,000, according to government figures released on Friday, as health authorities continue to struggle to contain the country's worst-ever Ebola epidemic.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
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