Live blog: West 'not Amazon' for Ukraine weapons — UK's Wallace

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has sounded an off note in London's normally harmonious relationship with Kiev, suggesting Ukraine should show more gratitude to its allies and griping Britain is not an "Amazon" for military supplies.

"There is a slight word of caution which is, whether we like it or not, people want to see gratitude," Wallace told British media on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius.

He recalled that after receiving a list of weapons requests from Ukraine last year, he told officials in Kiev "I am not Amazon".

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak moved quickly to head off the suggestion that London was annoyed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's fierce lobbying at the NATO summit for more Western support in his battle against the Russian offensive.

And Zelenskyy himself brushed off any suggestions of tension in the relationship.

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1830 GMT — UN asks Putin to extend Black Sea grain deal in return for linking Russian bank to SWIFT: sources

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has proposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he extend the Ankara-brokered deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of grain from Ukraine in return for connecting a subsidiary of Russia's agricultural bank to the SWIFT international payment system, sources told Reuters.

Russia has threatened to ditch the grain deal, brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye and which expires on Monday, because several demands to dispatch its own grain and fertiliser abroad have not been met.

The last two ships travelling under the Black Sea agreement are currently loading cargo at the Ukrainian port of Odessa ahead of the deadline.

1753 GMT — Wagner mercenaries surrendering their weapons: Russia

Mercenaries of the Wagner Group have been completing the handover of their weapons to the Russian military, the Defense Ministry said, a move that follows the private army's brief rebellion last month that challenged the Kremlin's authority.

The disarming of Wagner reflects efforts by authorities to defuse the threat it posed and also appears to herald an end to the mercenary group's operations on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Among the weapons turned over were more than 2,000 pieces of equipment, such as tanks, rocket launchers, heavy artillery and air defence systems, along with over 2,500 metric tonnes of munitions and more than 20,000 firearms, the Defence Ministry said.

1737 GMT — Ukraine would benefit from ATACM missiles: US army general

Ukraine would benefit from the US provision of ATACM long-range missiles, President Joe Biden's nominee to become the Army's chief of staff, General Randy George, has told a Senate committee.

"The ATACMS obviously are great. That missile is a great system, adds range. So that's basically what it would be providing is the ability to attack deeper targets," George, currently the Army's vice chief of staff, said at his confirmation hearing.

Asked if they would be helpful to Ukraine, George responded: "Yes."

1733 GMT — France's Macron expresses support for Ukraine's NATO membership

French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed support for Ukraine's accession to NATO.

"The most direct path was open for Ukraine, which will join NATO when the circumstances are available," Macron said in a news conference on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

"In those uncertain times, a strong message should be delivered to Russia," he said. "Russia will neither divide, nor exhaust NATO partners."

1702 GMT — British premier says NATO 'more confident and united than ever'

NATO is "more confident and more united than ever" and has taken a "big step" in its support for Ukraine, Sunak said during a press conference in Vilnius,

He strongly condemned Russia's aggression against Ukraine, describing it as "500 days of brutal and inhumane actions."

Despite the challenges, he said Ukraine remains resilient and unwavering in its stance.

1423 GMT — Decisions made at summit bring Ukraine closer to NATO: Poland

A range of decisions were made on Ukraine during a summit in Vilnius that bring it closer to NATO, Poland's president has said, adding that there was no comparison between what had been decided regarding Ukraine at a 2008 summit and now.

"The bar was set high...we raised this Ukrainian expectation that a formal invitation to an alliance be issued for Ukraine," Andrzej Duda told a news conference.

"Such a far-reaching decision has not been made, but a whole series of decisions have been made regarding Ukraine, undoubtedly bringing Ukraine closer to NATO."

1347 GMT — Russia to put destroyed NATO equipment on show near Western embassies

Russia plans to display NATO equipment it has destroyed in Ukraine outside the embassies of Western countries that supplied it, parliamentary speaker Vyacheslav Volodin has said.

"The proposal to install burned equipment next to the embassies of those countries that send it to Ukraine is especially interesting," said Volodin, who issued orders for such a display to be organised.

1211 GMT — G7 to help Ukraine build 'defence across land, air and sea': Biden

Biden has said that the G7 will assist Ukraine in building a powerful military while it waits to be allowed into the NATO alliance.

"We're going to help them build a strong capable defence across land, air and sea," Biden said at a ceremony with the other G7 leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in Vilnius.

Zelenskyy said the multilateral accord that paves the way for bilateral negotiations with countries was a "significant security victory" for Ukraine.

Earlier, Zelenskyy also said that the NATO summit results are "good" but they would be "optimum" if Kiev had been invited to join the military alliance.

0752 GMT — US to start talks on long-term security aid for Ukraine

The United States will soon begin negotiations with Ukraine on providing long-term security assistance after Western countries announce a broader international framework to support Ukraine.

"G7 leaders agree to enter bilateral negotiations with Ukraine to provide long-term security assistance and ensure they have a capable fighting force to deter Russian aggression in the future and provide support for Ukraine’s good governance reforms and strengthen Ukraine’s economy," a White House official told reporters.

"The US will begin its negotiations with Ukraine soon."

0752 GMT — EU's Michel says bloc is ready to provide security guarantees

The EU is ready to provide security guarantees to Ukraine, the head of the European Council has said.

In his doorstep remarks ahead of the start of the second day of the NATO leaders’ summit in Lithuania's capital Vilnius, Charles Michel said: "We also support the ‘just peace’ formula proposed by Zelenskyy based on the UN Charter, based on justice. There is no place for impunity."

Regarding relations with NATO, Michel said: “We, the EU, have excellent cooperation with NATO and we are working a lot in order for the EU to become more and more a security provider, in full coordination with NATO.”

0729 GMT — Ukraine to discuss arms packages, NATO invitation in Vilnius: Zelenskyy

Kiev will discuss weapons packages, an invitation to NATO and security guarantees at the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, the Ukrainian president has said.

In his doorstep remarks ahead of the meeting, Zelenksyy said Kiev wants that both sides are on the "same page" on membership.

Regarding the NATO invitation, the Vilnius summit communique released on Tuesday underlined that the alliance "fully supports" Kiev's right to choose its own security arrangements, adding that "Ukraine’s future is in NATO."

0647 GMT — Aid plan on Ukraine to show time isn't on Russia's side: US

A plan to secure long-term military aid for Ukraine from the G7 countries will signal to Russia that "time is not on its side," a top US official has said.

"It signals a joint long-term commitment to building a powerful defensive insurance force for Ukraine," lead White House advisor for European affairs Amanda Sloat told reporters.

"This multilateral declaration will send a significant signal to Russia that time is not on its side."

0632 GMT — Ukraine downs 11 Russian drones in night attack

Ukraine has said it had shot down 11 Russian attack drones overnight in a second night of strikes on the capital Kiev, as NATO leaders prepared to meet with Zelenskyy in Vilnius.

"A total of 15 kamikaze drones were involved in the strike. 11 of them were destroyed in the areas of responsibility of the Centre and East air commands," Ukraine's air force said on social media.

0315 GMT — Ukraine war won't end until West stops trying to defeat Russia: Lavrov

The armed confrontation in Ukraine will continue until the West gives up plans to dominate and defeat Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said in an interview with an Indonesian newspaper.

The goal of the "US-led collective West" is to strengthen its global hegemony, Lavrov told the Kompas newspaper.

"Why doesn't the armed confrontation in Ukraine come to an end? The answer is very simple – it will continue until the West gives up its plans to preserve its domination and overcome its obsessive desire to inflict on Russia a strategic defeat at the hands of its Kiev puppets."

For our live updates from Tuesday (July 11), click here.