26.06.2024
Ukraine war in the live ticker
+++ 02:06 One conversation – two versions: US Secretary of Defense talks on the phone with Moscow counterpart +++
The Pentagon and the Russian Defense Ministry say that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov spoke by phone for the first time in more than a year. However, both sides give very different accounts of the conversation. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Belousov warned Austin about the dangers of continued US arms deliveries to Ukraine in its 28-month-old conflict with Russia. The Pentagon, however, says they discussed the importance of open lines of communication.
+++ 01:04 “We are left empty-handed”: Union criticizes traffic light budget dispute ahead of NATO summit +++
The Union’s defense politician Johann Wadephul believes that Germany’s credibility in NATO is being threatened by the delay in the coalition’s budget discussions. “It is a disaster on multiple levels,” Wadephul told the newspapers of the Funke Media Group. The draft budget must make concrete statements on the defense budget not only for 2025, but also for the years up to 2028 in the form of medium-term financial planning. “The government must set out in black and white how it intends to structure defense spending after the special funds have been used up,” demands the deputy head of the Union faction. “That would have been the key message for the NATO summit on July 9 and 10.”
+++ 00:04 EU accession talks: EPP leader Weber sees “a long way to go” for Ukraine +++
In view of the start of EU accession talks with Ukraine, EPP leader Manfred Weber is dampening expectations of the attacked country’s rapid accession to the European Union. “How quickly Ukraine can become part of the EU depends on the progress made in the country. There is still an enormous need for reform in Ukraine, for example in the fight against corruption,” the CSU vice-chairman told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND). “We all know that the country still has a long way to go to be truly ready for accession, especially against the backdrop of the war.”
+++ 22:55 After Moscow’s threats: US Secretary of Defense speaks with Russian colleague +++
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks to his Russian counterpart in a rare exchange following threats from Moscow. During the conversation with Andrei Belousov, Austin stressed that it was important to maintain communication in view of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, says Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder. He did not provide further details about the phone call. According to the Pentagon, the initiative for the conversation came from Austin. According to Ryder, Austin last spoke to his Russian counterpart on March 15, 2023. At that time, Sergei Shoigu was still Russian Defense Minister. Moscow threatened Washington yesterday after a Ukrainian missile attack on the city of Sevastopol in Crimea.
+++ 22:15 Insider: Pistorius plans ammunition contract for up to 15 billion euros +++
Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius of the SPD wants to significantly increase a framework contract for the procurement of artillery ammunition to a total volume of up to 15 billion euros. The Finance Ministry submitted a corresponding proposal to the Bundestag’s budget committee, Reuters learned from an insider. According to the proposal, the total order quantity is to be increased by two million rounds to 2.35 million rounds of 155-millimeter ammunition, for example for the Panzerhaubitze 2000, via an amending contract. “Der Spiegel” was the first to report on the proposal for the framework contract with the companies Diehl Defense and Nammo Raufoss.
+++ 21:56 Nepalese mercenary: “I regret it very much” +++
Among the prisoners of war that Ukraine takes are numerous fighters from all over the world.”Kyiv Independent” published the testimony of a mercenary who, according to his own account, joined the Russian army because of debts. “The only reason I’m here is to earn money,” he said during an interrogation. In Nepal he was “under pressure” and had debts of 20,000 to 25,000 dollars. In Moscow he was promised three months of training, but that never happened. He was taken prisoner on his first mission. “I regret it. I regret it very much,” he says now. “I have a bad conscience.” But he is not an isolated case: in his army unit alone he says he has seen around 200 Nepalese.
You can read all previous developments here.