live U.S. clears way for $2.7 billion sale of air-defence development upgrades to Ukraine
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgr...
Technical consultations between the U.S. and Ukraine regarding a potential minerals deal will begin in Washington on Friday, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna confirmed on Thursday.
The talks are expected to focus on bilateral cooperation over Ukraine's mineral resources and will not interfere with Ukraine's other financial commitments, particularly those related to European Union or International Monetary Fund aid.
Stefanishyna, speaking to reporters in Brussels, emphasized that Ukraine’s existing obligations, including those tied to foreign financial support, will remain unaffected by the negotiations. "Nothing... can be negotiated with Ukraine in a way that will undermine the existing commitments and obligations Ukraine has, including financial ones," she stated, underscoring Kyiv’s firm stance on preserving its current agreements.
The potential deal, which has been pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump as part of his broader efforts to end the conflict with Russia, seeks privileged access to Ukraine's mineral resources. It is also seen as a strategy to help the U.S. recover some of the financial aid provided to Ukraine during the war, though the aid was not given as a loan.
The Trump administration has revised its initial proposal for the minerals deal, now presenting a more expansive draft, according to Reuters reports. Kyiv has allocated $2.7 million towards consulting services to ensure the protection of its national interests in the ongoing discussions, as per a government document dated April 8.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was struck while attempting to make an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said early on Friday.
Russian air strikes injured 13 and damaged buildings in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and in the Black Sea port city of Odesa in the early hours of Thursday, officials said on the Telegram messaging app.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he hoped the war against Iran was nearing its end and that Tehran wanted to reach a deal, but Iran dismissed his comments as “mixed signals” as the conflict approaches its seventh month.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
Cuba's electrical grid suffered a total collapse on Friday, plunging the nation into darkness and leaving millions without power amid a U.S. pressure campaign that has largely blocked oil from reaching the Caribbean's largest island.
A China Coast Guard vessel rammed a Philippine boat on a refueling mission in the South China Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said, in the latest confrontation between the two countries in disputed waters.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that additional news organisations could be barred from the White House, hours after announcing bans on CNN, MS NOW and Politico over coverage he described as “fake news”.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced an agreement with Denmark and Greenland on Friday that would significantly expand Washington’s military presence on the Arctic island and give the United States what he described as permanent authority over its security.
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