Warren Murray

3 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Warren Murray

Half of the US Senate – 25 Republicans and 25 Democrats – have in a rare bipartisan move put forward sanctions that would be imposed on Russia if it refuses to engage in good faith negotiations with Ukraine and respect an eventual peace deal. The lead sponsors of the legislation, the Republican senator Lindsey Graham and the Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal, said: “The sanctions against Russia require tariffs on countries who purchase Russian oil, gas, uranium and other products.

3 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Warren Murray

European foreign ministers have called out Moscow for delaying a ceasefire in Ukraine as the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said it would be “a drawn-out process”. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said on Monday: “Russia is playing games and not really wanting peace.

3 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Warren Murray

China and India could be affected if Donald Trump introduces tariffs of 25-50% against countries buying Russian oil, analysts and officials have suggested. Dan Sabbagh reports that the US president told NBC he would impose such measures within a month “if a deal isn’t made, and if I think it was Russia’s fault”, as he vented frustration at Vladimir Putin’s delaying tactics and attempts to discredit Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president.

3 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Warren Murray

The Czech-led ammunition initiative for Ukraine can deliver another 1.5m artillery rounds in 2025, as many as last year, the Czech prime minister, Petr Fiala, said on Thursday after the Paris summit of Ukraine’s allies. The initiative was launched last year and funded by a number of allies. Among the rounds provided in 2024 were 500,000 units of 155mm shells, the Czech defence ministry said in February this year.

4 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Warren Murray

Emmanuel Macron has warned that Russia still shows a “desire for war” despite efforts towards a ceasefire as European leaders including Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Paris on Thursday to discuss how Europe might offer Kyiv security guarantees in the event of a lasting truce. Macron said Russia had tried to impose “new conditions” and not responded to a 30-day general ceasefire offered by Ukraine “without preconditions”. He praised Kyiv for having “taken the risk of peace”.