MUNICH: EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas pushed back Sunday against &quot;bashing&quot; of Europe by the United States, saying Russia must be forced to make concessions in talks to end the war in Ukraine. &quot;Contrary to what some may say, woke, decadent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/chinese-fm-wants-to-work-with-canadian-counterpart-to-eliminate-interference" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Europe</a> is not facing civilizational erasure,&quot; Kallas said on the last day of the Munich Security Conference. <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-and-europe-belong-together-rubio" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">US Secretary of State Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;on Saturday reassured allies by saying Washington and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/european-debate-over-nuclear-weapons-gains-pace-at-munich-security-conference" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Europe</a> &quot;belong together&quot; -- but insisted the continent must defend against mass migration to protect its &quot;civilization&quot;. &quot;The message that we heard is that America and Europe are intertwined, have been in the past and will be in the future. I think this is important,&quot; Kallas said. &quot;It is also clear that we don&#39;t see eye to eye in all the issues, and this will remain the case,&quot; she said. The gathering in Munich has seen European officials insist that the continent must take the lead in its defense in the face of an aggressive Russia and doubts about the reliability of the United States, as President Donald Trump upends ties. &lsquo;Need to reclaim European agency&rsquo;&quot;There is an urgent need to reclaim European agency,&quot; Kallas said. She said European defense &quot;starts in Ukraine&quot; and depends on how Russia&#39;s war ends as the United States pushes efforts to stop the fighting. &quot;Let&#39;s be clear-eyed about Russia. Russia is no superpower,&quot; Kallas said, insisting the country was &quot;broken.&quot; &quot;The greatest threat Russia presents right now is that it gains more at the negotiation table than it has achieved on the battlefield.&quot; Size of Russia&rsquo;s military&nbsp;The EU top diplomat called for the size of Russia&#39;s military to be capped, said Moscow must pay for damages caused, and be held accountable for war crimes. France&#39;s Europe minister, Benjamin Haddad, backed calls for Europe to pay less attention to what the US says and to focus on bolstering its own capabilities. &quot;I think the worst lesson we could draw from this weekend is to say, well, I can cling to some love words that I heard in part of his speech and push the snooze button,&quot; Haddad said of Rubio&#39;s address. &quot;Focus on what we can control, focus on our rearmament, on the support for Ukraine and the threat that Russia poses to all of our democracies.&quot;

Europe

‘Contrary to what some may say, woke, decadent Europe is not facing civilizational erasure,’ says Kaja Kallas on the last day of the Munich Security Conference.

EU top diplomat rejects Europe 'bashing' by US

BERLIN: Munich airport was forced to halt operations for the second day in a row on Friday over drone sightings, with dozens of flights and more than 6,000 passengers affected. Airports in Denmark, Norway and Poland have recently suspended flights due to unidentified drones, while Romania and Estonia have pointed the finger at Russia, which has brushed off the allegations. Munich airport said in a statement that on Friday &quot;from 9:30 pm air traffic was restricted and then cancelled due to drone sightings&quot;, meaning 23 incoming flights were diverted&nbsp;and 12 bound for Munich were cancelled. Forty-six departures from the airport had to be cancelled or delayed until Saturday, with a total of 6,500 passengers affected. Confirmed drone sightingsA police spokesman told AFP that there were &quot;two simultaneous confirmed drone sightings by police patrols just before 11 pm around the north and south runways&quot;. &quot;The drones immediately moved away, before they could be identified,&quot; he added. &quot;As on the previous night, the airport, in collaboration with the airlines, promptly provided supplies for passengers in the terminals. Camp beds were set up, along with blankets, drinks, and snacks,&quot; the airport said. The airport expects service to be resumed as normal at 5:00 am on Saturday. Initial disruptionThe initial disruption on Thursday caused more than 30 flights to be cancelled there and left nearly 3,000 passengers stranded. The first incident began at 8:30 pm local time on Thursday when police say drones were spotted in areas close to the airport, including the towns of Freising and Erding. Erding plays host to an airfield used by the German military. Bild newspaper said some of the drones were spotted flying over the facility, although police could not confirm this. The first drones near the airport perimeter were seen around 9:05 pm on Thursday, and then over the airport complex about an hour later. The sightings ended around midnight, but not before causing the closure of both runways. Police helicopters were deployed but &quot;no information is available on the type and number of drones&quot;, police said. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&#39;Wake-up call&#39;</h2>Earlier on Friday German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the first night&#39;s incident was a &quot;wake-up call&quot; on the threat from drones. &quot;The race between the threat from drones and the defense against drones is becoming more and more difficult,&quot; he told Bild, adding that &quot;more financing and research&quot; on the issue was urgently needed at the national and European levels. The disruptions came as the country celebrated German Unity Day on Friday -- a national holiday -- and as Munich geared up for the final weekend of Oktoberfest, which draws hundreds of thousands of people to the city every day. The annual beer gala and funfair had already closed for half a day on Wednesday after a bomb scare. Change in law&nbsp;The German government is expected on Wednesday to sign off on plans for a change in the law to let the army shoot drones down if necessary. Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder told Bild that &quot;we must be able to shoot (drones) down immediately instead of waiting&quot; and said that the police should also have the power to do so. The drone sightings in Denmark and high-profile aerial incursions in Estonia and Poland have heightened fears that Russia&#39;s assault on Ukraine could spill over Europe&#39;s borders. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Europe on Thursday that the recent drone incursions showed Moscow was looking to &quot;escalate&quot; its aggression. Germany is on high alert, saying a swarm of them had flown over the country last week, including over military and industrial sites. &lsquo;Europe stoking &quot;hysteria&quot;&rsquo;Denmark also raised the alarm, with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reiterating last week that only one country &quot;poses a threat to Europe&#39;s security -- and that&#39;s Russia&quot;. Moscow said it &quot;firmly rejects&quot; any suggestion of involvement, with Russian President Vladimir Putin accusing Europe of stoking &quot;hysteria&quot; to justify rising military spending.

Munich airport shut down twice due to drone sightings, disrupting over 100 flights and affecting 6,500 passengers. Authorities suspect broader regional threats, with heightened concerns over Russian involvement in recent European drone incursions.

Munich airport shut again over drone scare

KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday said the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant has been off the grid for seven straight days, warning of the potential threat of a &quot;critical&quot; situation. He said one of the backup diesel generators used to maintain operations had &quot;malfunctioned&quot; and the blackout posed &quot;a threat to everyone&quot;. Europe&rsquo;s largest&nbsp;It is the longest outage at Zaporizhzhia since Russia invaded and seized the nuclear plant, Europe&#39;s largest. &quot;It has been seven days now. There has never been anything like this before,&quot; Zelensky said in his daily address, adding: &quot;The situation is critical.&quot; Moscow and Kyiv have repeatedly accused each other of risking a potentially devastating nuclear disaster by attacking the site and traded blame over the latest blackout. &quot;Due to Russian attacks, the plant has been cut off from its power supply and the electricity grid. It is being supplied with electricity from diesel generators,&quot; Zelensky said. Russia said last week the power plant -- which it took control of in the first weeks of the war in 2022 -- has been receiving backup power supply since an attack it attributed to Ukraine. &lsquo;Obstructing the repair&rsquo;Zelensky accused Moscow of &quot;obstructing the repair&quot; of power lines through airstrikes, saying &quot;this is a threat to absolutely everyone.&quot; The plant&#39;s six reactors, which before the war produced around a fifth of Ukraine&#39;s electricity, were shut down after Moscow took over. But the plant needs power to maintain cooling and safety systems, which prevent reactors from melting -- a danger that could set off a nuclear incident. Since the start of the war, Zaporizhzhia has seen multiple safety threats, including frequent nearby shelling, repeated power cuts and staff shortages. Located near the city of Energodar along the Dnieper river, the power plant is close to the front line.

Ukrainian President Zelensky warned the situation at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is "critical" after a weeklong blackout. A backup generator failed, raising fears of a nuclear incident due to disrupted cooling systems.

Zelensky warns situation 'critical' as nuclear plant off grid for a week

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: A massive Russian drone and missile attack against Ukraine lasting 12 hours into Sunday killed at least four people in Kyiv, including a 12-year-old girl, Ukrainian authorities said, according to AFP. Neighboring Poland scrambled jets to secure its airspace in the wake of the barrage, after NATO accused Moscow of being behind a series of violations of the defense alliance&#39;s airspace. Diplomatic efforts to stop the war have faltered and Russia has vowed to press on with the offensive that it launched in February 2022. &lsquo;Harshest pressure&rsquo;&nbsp;&quot;Moscow wants to continue fighting and killing and deserves only the harshest pressure from the world,&quot; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said following the strikes. Zelenksy, in a post on X, stated: &ldquo;the Baltic Sea and other seas must be closed to Russian tankers &ndash; at the very least to the shadow fleet.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1972361330809024837&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=d3ade6c48ceca5e188b506c9e54b963a0a704a89&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1972361330809024837"></iframe></div></div></div>&ldquo;We also count on strong steps from the United States,&rdquo; he added. Following the aerial barrage, Zelensky held a round of calls with allies, including NATO chief Mark Rutte, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, AFP reported. Russia said it had only hit military targets during the attack. Ukraine&#39;s foreign ministry said that apart from residential buildings, a cardiology centre and a kindergarten had been among the buildings hit across the country. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Scores of wounded&nbsp;</h2>The Ukrainian military said the country had been targeted by 595 drones and 48 missiles, most of which were shot down by air defenses. But 31 drones and five missiles got through. Zelensky said that energy sites were hit, accusing Russia of wanting to cause massive blackouts across Ukraine. Ukrainian intelligence indicated that Russian oil tankers had been used as platforms to launch and guide the attack drones, he added. The Ukrainian leader vowed his country would target Russia&#39;s ability to fund the war and force Moscow to the negotiating table. As well as the four people killed in Kyiv, the authorities said scores of people had been wounded across the Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Sumy, Cherkasy, and Mykolaiv regions. Ivan Fedrorov, the governor of Zaporizhzhia, where a big nuclear plant is under Russian control, said the main city of the region had been hit &quot;at least four times&quot; and 42 people had been wounded. Zelensky posted photos of residential buildings in flames, with emergency services putting out fires and rescuing people from shattered buildings. More victims could be uncovered in the debris, rescuers said. AFP reporters saw rescuers using heavy machinery to clear rubble from near-destroyed buildings. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Poland scrambles jets </h2>Poland&#39;s armed forces said on X that Warsaw had scrambled fighter jets in its airspace and put ground-based air-defense systems on high alert. In recent weeks, several European countries have accused Russia of violating their airspace with drones and fighter jets, in what NATO sees as a test of its resolve. Russia has denied that it is responsible for the incursions or that it plans to attack any NATO nation. In an address at the UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday, Moscow&#39;s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that &quot;any aggression against my country will be met with a decisive response&quot;. Kyiv and Moscow also said on Saturday that the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant -- Europe&#39;s largest -- had been off the grid for four days, stoking fears of a potential nuclear incident, AFP reported. Two civilians injured&nbsp;Belgorod Region in western Russia is facing serious water and energy supply shortages following what its governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, has described as Ukrainian strikes targeting local infrastructure, Russia Today reported on Sunday. At least two civilians have been injured in a Ukrainian missile strike on Belgorod, according to Gladkov.

A 12-hour Russian drone and missile assault on Ukraine killed four in Kyiv, injured scores nationwide, and damaged infrastructure. Poland scrambles jets; Zelensky urges stronger global action, citing threats to energy and civilian sites.

Massive Russian drone and missile attack kills four in Kyiv

<p style='box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; padding: 0.2rem 0px 0.8rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;' id="isPasted">KYIV: A large Russian drone and missile attack on the Ukraninan capital killed two people and wounded at least 10 others early Sunday, authorities said.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; padding: 0.2rem 0px 0.8rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Thick black smoke could be seen rising from a blast near the city center.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; padding: 0.2rem 0px 0.8rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>The strikes that began overnight and continued after dawn also targeted residential buildings, civilian infrastructure, a medical facility and a kindergarten, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, who also said damage was reported at more than 20 locations across the capital.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; padding: 0.2rem 0px 0.8rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>City administrator Tymur Tkachenko said a 12-year-old girl was among those killed.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; padding: 0.2rem 0px 0.8rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>&ldquo;The Russians have restarted the child death counter,&rdquo; Tkachenko wrote on Telegram.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; padding: 0.2rem 0px 0.8rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>At Kyiv&rsquo;s central train station, passengers arrived to the crackle of anti-aircraft gunfire and the low buzz of attack drones. Mostly women, they waited quietly in a platform underpass until the air raid alert ended. Parents checked the news on their phones while children played online games.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; padding: 0.2rem 0px 0.8rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>&ldquo;The sky has turned black again,&rdquo; said one woman at the station, who gave only her first name, Erika. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s happening a lot.&rdquo;

Military medics of the 66th Brigade give first aid to a wounded Ukrainian soldier at a medical stabilisation point in Donetsk region, Ukraine

A large Russian drone and missile attack on the Ukraninan capital killed two people and wounded at least 10 others early Sunday, authorities said.

Russian drone strikes on Kyiv kill two, injure ten

BRUSSELS: The European Union proposed Friday to bring forward by a year a ban on Russian gas imports as part of new sanctions to sap Moscow&#39;s war chest and please US President Donald Trump.The 19th package of EU sanctions targeting Moscow since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine also seeks to hit firms as well as banks and traders in China, India and other countries accused of helping Russia circumvent sanctions.Under the proposal, which needs approval by the bloc&#39;s 27 member states, the European Commission aims to phase out liquefied natural gas (LNG) purchases from Russia by January 2027.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the &quot;robust&quot; package as &quot;an important step that will intensify pressure on Russia&#39;s war machine and have a tangible impact&quot;.&lsquo;Turn off the tap&rsquo;&quot;Russia&#39;s war economy is sustained by revenues from fossil fuels. We want to cut these revenues,&quot; European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said.&quot;It is time to turn off the tap&quot;.The new sanctions package comes as the United States pressures the EU to end fossil fuel imports from Russia -- and as the bloc seeks in turn to coax Trump to take a tougher stance against Moscow.The US leader has so far held back from upping pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, but last week he said he was ready to do so if allies stopped buying Russian oil and hit China with tariffs.Russian oil imports slashed&nbsp;The EU has already banned most Russian oil under previous rounds of sanctions, slashing the share it imports from 29% in early 2021 to two percent by mid-2025.Only Hungary and Slovakia, friendly to Moscow and Trump, still buy Russian oil.EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Brussels was bringing forward by 12 months a previous pledge to end all imports of Russian LNG from the end of 2027 to the end of 2026.&quot;Moscow thinks it can keep its war going. We are making sure it pays the price for it,&quot; she wrote on X.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 393px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1969005103257379249&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=5de96262c626a7bb0209cccdb3a4022e290fc89e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1969005103257379249">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>In a post on X, Zelensky thanked the EU &quot;for its leadership and unity&quot;.&quot;We count on swift adoption of the 19th package, and we expect other partners to mirror and expand these steps,&quot; he said.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1969107166700134907&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=5de96262c626a7bb0209cccdb3a4022e290fc89e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1969107166700134907">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Despite a push to end decades of European dependency, Russia still supplied 19% of the EU&#39;s gas in 2024, compared with 45% before the war.That is in part due to an increase in purchases of LNG transported by sea, which have partially offset a sharp fall in pipeline imports.Last year, 32 billion cubic metres of gas entered Europe via the TurkStream pipeline, and 20 billion cubic metres through liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments.The EU has already imposed 18 rounds of sanctions over Moscow&#39;s invasion of Ukraine despite opposition from some member states, notably Hungary and Slovakia.Von der Leyen said that with the latest batch, the EU was &quot;going after those who fuel Russia&#39;s war by purchasing oil in breach of the sanctions&quot;.&quot;We target refineries, oil traders, petrochemical companies in third countries, including China,&quot; she said.Brussels also intends to target crypto platforms and the credit card system MIR, set up by Russia to avoid reliance on US-based networks, she and Kallas said.&lsquo;Shadow fleet&rsquo;The package also seeks to blacklist 118 more vessels in the &quot;shadow fleet&quot; of ageing tankers used by Russia to circumvent oil export curbs, and 45 firms accused of supporting the Russian military-industrial complex.Entities from Russia, China and India would face export bans and tighter controls, Kallas said.While they are likely be seen as an attempt to meet Trump midway, the measures fall far short of his request that allies place up to 100% tariffs on Beijing and New Delhi.That was expected as Brussels, which is generally averse to tariffs, is currently negotiating a trade pact with India and has no appetite for a broader trade war with China.Some diplomats have critically noted that the US demands for European action coincide with US commercial interests, while allowing room for Trump to again stall on taking a tough stance against Russia himself.The United States, the world&#39;s top oil producer, is the largest supplier of LNG to Europe, accounting for almost 45% of total imports.Most LNG is imported through terminals in France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium, though it is hard to know how much is also consumed there or simply passes through towards other nations.&nbsp;

Americas

The EU plans to ban Russian LNG imports by January 2027, accelerating its gas phase-out to weaken Moscow’s war economy and respond to U.S. pressure amid ongoing sanctions efforts.

EU seeks faster Russian gas phase-out after Trump push

ISLAMABAD: U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Britain on Tuesday for an unprecedented second state visit, White House announced in a statement on Tuesday.&quot;A lot of things here warm my heart,&quot; the 79-year-old Republican told reporters after he arrived with First Lady Melania Trump. &quot;It&#39;s a very special place.&quot;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1968052852708016509&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=985cdc273bab42a0e2e6d62bc4e8095c5a4116fd&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 755px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>King Charles III will host Trump at Windsor Castle for a lavish banquet and carriage ride on Wednesday, before Trump meets Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his country residence on Thursday, AFP reported.In a sign of the pomp and pageantry to come, a guard of honor greeted the Trumps as they stepped off Air Force One at Stansted Airport near London.Trump then expressed his admiration for the British monarch.&lsquo;A very big day&rsquo;&quot;He&#39;s been a friend of mine for a long time, and everyone respects him, and they love him,&quot; Trump said as he arrived by helicopter at Winfield House, the U.S. ambassador&#39;s residence in London, where he will spend the night.&quot;Tomorrow&#39;s going to be a very big day.&quot;Trump is the first U.S. president to be invited for two state visits, after previously being hosted by Queen Elizabeth II during his last term in office in 2019 -- as Britain tries to keep the so-called special relationship alive.The British government has been unapologetic about its efforts to get on the right side of Trump, whose mother was Scottish and who owns a number of golf courses in the UK.But the British public will be kept far away from Trump, with the visit taking place entirely behind closed doors and heavy security.Shadow of Epstein scandalA large anti-Trump demonstration has been called in London on Wednesday, while protesters projected images of Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein onto the towers of Windsor Castle late Tuesday.The shadow of the Epstein scandal has hung over Trump for weeks after his administration declined to release files on the issue.It has also embroiled British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who sacked his ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson on the eve of the visit over the envoy&#39;s emails to Epstein.Starmer&#39;s government is however counting on the sheer scale of the state visit to keep Trump onside.Largest military showIn Windsor on Wednesday, Trump will get a ceremonial carriage ride and a flypast by both UK and U.S. jets in what officials call the largest military show for a state visit in living memory, AFP reported.In the evening King Charles will host Trump for a lavish state dinner where both men will give speeches.Trump may also relish the royal part of the visit as a chance to escape a turbulent period at home, where the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has caused turmoil.$30B over four yearsPolitics will take over again on Thursday when Starmer hosts Trump at his country residence Chequers for talks focusing on trade and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.The visit has been timed to line up with announcements of several investments in Britain -- the latest being a pledge by Microsoft to spend $30 billion over four years.Starmer needs the visit to go well after a miserable few days in which some in his Labour party have openly questioned whether he can remain as leader over the Mandelson resignation.Downing Street has said Trump&#39;s visit would see the &quot;unbreakable friendship&quot; between the countries &quot;reach new heights&quot;, AFP reported.Trade tops agendaStarmer will host Trump at Chequers, his country residence, on Thursday to discuss various matters, including security in Ukraine. Starmer&rsquo;s ultimate aim, however, is to ensure that Trump makes good on his promise to lower tariffs on steel and aluminum, Al Jazeera reported on Tuesday.The UK was the first country to sign a bilateral trade agreement with the Trump administration in May. Under that deal, the U.S. planned to reduce tariffs on aluminum and steel from 25% to zero, but that has not happened yet.The two countries are also expected to sign a multibillion-dollar deal to develop small nuclear projects, which could, in some cases, help to power new artificial intelligence data centres. On Monday, Starmer announced a joint U.S.-UK project to build a fleet of small modular reactors.Potential technology partnership&nbsp;A major talking point will be a new potential technology partnership, involving enhanced U.S. investment in the UK and greater British cooperation with Silicon Valley on artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing, Al Jazeera reported.Nvidia, OpenAI and Google are expected to announce investment deals as part of the partnership, according to the Reuters news agency. Meanwhile, the British government recently secured 1.25 billion pounds ($1.7bn) in private investment pledges from PayPal and Bank of America.Elsewhere, private equity firm Blackstone plans to invest 100 billion pounds ($136bn) into British assets over the next decade, with a focus on physical infrastructure. The investment will be part of a previously announced $500bn package of investment into Europe.

United Kingdom

U.S. President Donald Trump has arrived in the UK for an unprecedented second state visit, marked by royal pageantry and talks on trade and Ukraine and Gaza wars.

U.S. President Trump arrives in UK for historic second state visit

ISLAMABAD: The European Commission is reportedly considering a full ban on Russian tourists entering the European Union as part of its upcoming 19th Sanctions Package in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine.&nbsp;If enacted, this would be the EU&rsquo;s strictest travel restriction on Russian citizens since the conflict began. According to Anadolu Agency, the measure would require unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states, a hurdle that could complicate its adoption.&nbsp;The proposal is said to be spearheaded by Poland, Finland, and the Baltic states, which have consistently pushed for tighter travel restrictions on Russian nationals. Officials familiar with the matter shared this development with TVP World.&nbsp;However, several EU countries that benefit significantly from Russian tourism, including Italy, Spain, Greece, and France, may resist the move. Additionally, Hungary, which maintains friendlier ties with Moscow, is also expected to oppose a full ban.&nbsp;Two paths under considerationAn EU official stated that the European Commission is evaluating two possible options:&nbsp;<ol><li>Non-binding guidance to encourage member states to restrict tourist visas, particularly after a surge in Russian tourism this summer.</li><li>A legally binding ban embedded in the 19th sanctions package, which would apply uniformly across all member states, but could prove more difficult to implement politically.</li></ol>&nbsp;According to Commission data, more than 500,000 Russians were granted Schengen visas in 2024, marking a significant increase from the previous year despite the war and existing sanctions.&nbsp;Details of the 19th Sanctions PackageThe sanctions package, initially scheduled for release on Wednesday but now delayed, will build upon previous rounds that have targeted:&nbsp;<ul><li>Russian financial institutions</li><li>Energy exports</li><li>Individuals and entities linked to the Kremlin</li></ul>&nbsp;The new measures aim to further isolate Russia economically and politically as the war enters a prolonged phase.&nbsp;In a separate but related effort, several EU countries are advocating for a proposal to restrict the movement of Russian diplomats within the Schengen zone.&nbsp;According to TVP World, this measure is being championed by Czechia, Latvia, and other countries on NATO&rsquo;s eastern flank. If approved, it would limit Russian diplomats to the country of their accreditation, significantly curbing their ability to travel freely across the EU.&nbsp;Supporters argue this is a necessary security precaution, especially after the expulsion of Russian agents in recent years who were allegedly operating under diplomatic cover.&nbsp;Trump&rsquo;s position on sanctionsMeanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump has weighed in on the broader sanctions debate. Speaking to reporters on September 14, Trump expressed willingness to impose sanctions on Russia, but emphasized that Europe must first stop buying Russian oil.&nbsp;&quot;Europe is buying oil from Russia. I don&#39;t want them to buy oil,&quot; Trump said.&nbsp;&quot;The sanctions... that they&#39;re putting on are not tough enough, and I&#39;m willing to do sanctions, but they&#39;re going to have to toughen up their sanctions commensurate with what I&#39;m doing.&quot;&nbsp;His remarks highlight ongoing transatlantic disagreements over how far to push economic pressure on Moscow, especially regarding energy imports.

EU considers full ban on Russian tourists in 19th package, facing division among member states over economic and security concerns.

Articles tagged with "Ukraine War"