In the UK, gov’t funds billions to Ukraine
The United Kingdom will provide Ukraine with billions in aid via 5,000 air-defense missiles — worth over $2 billion total — and a $2.8 billion loan funded by freezing some of the country’s investments in Russian government bonds, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Sunday.
Starmer introduced the deal in a special defence summit held in Brussels to discuss collective support for Ukraine that featured more than a dozen European leaders. He welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a handshake and hug, and promised to help the country negotiate a peace deal.
“Three years on from Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, we are at a turning point,” Starmer said at the summit. “Now is the time for us to unite in order to guarantee the best outcome for Ukraine, protect European security and secure our collective future.”
The meeting came just two days after the White House fallout between Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, with the two leaders accusing Zelenskyy of “gambling with World War III” and not showing gratitude to the United States for its aid.
Last week, Russia launched over 200 drones in an overnight attack, which Ukraine’s Air Force Command spokesperson described as the largest attack of its kind since the war began in 2022.
In the Czech Republic, oil delivery has been interrupted
The only pipeline that delivers oil from Russia to the Czech Republic has been halted, just three months after it had been interrupted for several days.
Two sources told Reuters that the pause was due to U.S. sanctions on Russia, which they said made it harder for Czech refineries’ Polish owner to process payments to Russian suppliers. As a result, the refineries asked the government for oil from state reserves.
“We are aware of the situation and are addressing it,” Czech Industry and Trade Minister Lukáš Vlček said Wednesday. “Refineries in the Czech Republic are well prepared for this scenario, and we have a robust system of state material reserves in place.”
Currently, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary are the only European Union member states still receiving oil from Russia, despite EU sanctions put in place after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
In January, the Czech government announced the completion of an over $60 million project to double the capacity of the Italian TAL oil pipeline to 8 million metric tons a year that will transport oil from Germany to the Czech Republic.
In Israel, aid to Gaza is blocked
Israel blocked all humanitarian aid into Gaza in an effort to pressure Hamas into extending the first phase of the ceasefire deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had claimed the Palestinian militant group Hamas was using the aid “to finance its terror machine” and refused to accept a U.S. proposal to continue the ceasefire deal.
Egypt and Qatar — primary mediators of the ceasefire deal — condemned Israel’s blockade, saying it violates international humanitarian law — a claim backed by UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher. During the first phase of the ceasefire, an average of 600 aid trucks entered Gaza each day, containing items such as food and fuel, although the majority of the supplies were denied entry.
“Israel will not allow a ceasefire without a release of our hostages,” Netanyahu said in a Sunday statement. “If Hamas persists in its refusal, there will be additional consequences.”
Food prices in Gaza, particularly the prices of flour and vegetables, have spiked by 200-300% due to the lack of humanitarian aid. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that food supplies for at least 500,000 people and 80 community kitchens will run out if the pause on aid continues.
Israel and Hamas began their second phase ceasefire talk last week in Cairo, however, communication has been stalled. Hamas is demanding a permanent end to the war, including a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the return of the remaining 59 Israeli hostages. Israel reaffirmed that Hamas must hand over all of the hostages, and proposed extending the ceasefire through the month of Ramadan.
Contact Amanda Chen at [email protected].
