DefenceTalkEU foreign ministers are on Monday to discuss a sixth round of sanctions on Moscow for its war in Ukraine but the bloc remains divided over a ban on Russian gas and oil imports. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said during a visit to Kyiv on Friday that the EU was now engaged […]https://www.defencetalk.com/eu-to-discuss-sixth-round-of-sanctions-on-russia-78657/

DefenceTalkEuropean Council chief Charles Michel on Thursday backed a proposal to release an additional 500 million euros ($540 million) to provide arms for Ukraine. “Once swiftly approved this will bring to 1.5 billion euros the EU support already provided for military equipment for #Ukraine,” Michel tweeted, also thanking EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell for proposing […]https://www.defencetalk.com/eu-proposes-500-million-euros-more-for-arms-to-ukraine-78645/

DefenceTalkUkraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday called on NATO members to provide Kyiv with all the heavy weaponry it needs to fight Russia’s invading forces. “My agenda is very simple. It has only three items on it. Its weapons, weapons, and weapons,” Kuleba told journalists ahead of a meeting with NATO foreign ministers in […]https://www.defencetalk.com/ukraine-calls-for-weapons-weapons-weapons-at-nato-talks-78631/

DefenceTalkPoland said on Tuesday it had ordered Abrams tanks and other heavy US battle vehicles worth $4.74 billion (4.32 billion euros), in line with a decision announced last year. “The agreement covers 250 Abrams tanks, armored recovery vehicles, assault bridges … training and logistics systems and a serious amount of ammunition,” Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak […]https://www.defencetalk.com/poland-orders-us-tanks-other-battle-vehicles-for-4-74-bn-78620/

DefenceTalkChina on Wednesday called reports of civilian deaths in the Ukrainian city of Bucha “deeply disturbing”, as international condemnation grows over what Kyiv has described as “genocide” carried out by Russia. Beijing has throughout refused to condemn Moscow’s invasion, now into its fifth week, as it treads a diplomatic tightrope between backing its close ally […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-calls-bucha-civilian-deaths-deeply-disturbing-78614/

DefenceTalkThe United States announced Tuesday it will send $100 million in additional anti-armor weapons to Ukraine. “I have authorized, pursuant to a delegation from the President earlier today, the immediate drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $100 million to meet Ukraine’s urgent need for additional anti-armor systems,” Blinken said in a statement. He […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-announces-extra-100-mn-in-military-aid-to-ukraine-78604/

DefenceTalkThe United States supports having permanent US military bases on the eastern flank of NATO, but for regular short-term rotations of US troop units rather than long-term basing, the top Pentagon general said Tuesday. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley told a hearing in the House of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-wants-bases-in-e-europe-but-for-short-term-deployments-general-78617/

DefenceTalkA total of 250 Czech army paratroopers on Monday left for Slovakia, which neighbours war-ravaged Ukraine, to build a NATO battlegroup there, the defence ministry said. The battlegroup will comprise up to 2,100 soldiers from Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United States. The Czechs will be in command of the battlegroup. “The […]https://www.defencetalk.com/czechs-send-250-soldiers-to-slovakia-to-set-up-nato-battlegroup-78589/

DefenceTalkThe US Defense Department approved Monday the sale of eight F-16 combat aircraft to Bulgaria for $1.67 billion, bolstering its air force as the regional threat has risen after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “The proposed sale will improve Bulgaria’s capability to meet current and future threats by enabling the Bulgarian Air Force to deploy modern […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-approves-sale-of-eight-f-16-combat-aircraft-to-bulgaria-78586/

DefenceTalkAir strikes rocked Ukraine’s strategic Black Sea port of Odessa early Sunday, AFP reporters said, but there were no casualties, according to the army. The Russian defence ministry confirmed the strike. “This morning, high-precision sea and air-based missiles destroyed an oil refinery and three storage facilities for fuel and lubricants near the city of Odessa, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/air-strikes-hit-ukraines-strategic-port-odessa-78578/