President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte discussed over the phone the transfer to Ukraine of air defense systems capable of intercepting new Russian ballistic missiles, Ukrinform reported, quoted by BTA.
During the conversation, Zelensky thanked Rutte for organizing the extraordinary meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council on November 26 at the request of Kiev. At the meeting, the Ukrainian side presented detailed information about Russia's use of a new ballistic missile against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
Zelensky said that Ukraine expects a decisive and timely response from the alliance to the Russian escalation of the war.
A list of air defense systems in service in NATO countries was handed over to Ukrainian partners.
In the phone conversation, Zelensky insisted to Rutte that it is important for Ukraine to receive an invitation to join the alliance and to continue its defense cooperation with NATO.
The conversation has also focused on the delivery of long-range weapons and the critical need to transfer weapons from the already announced arms aid to Kiev.
Zelensky and Rutte also discussed the global risks arising from the alliance between Russia, Iran and North Korea, especially from Russia transferring advanced military technology in exchange for weapons.
The meeting at the level of foreign ministers of the NATO-Ukraine Council will be held in Brussels on December 3 and 4, the agency recalls.
A new package of EU sanctions against Russia, including measures to target China-based companies producing drones for Russia's war against Ukraine, was discussed for the first time yesterday, DPA reported. quoted by BTA.
Representatives of the 27 member states have discussed the new proposals of the European Commission within the 15th package of EU sanctions against Russia after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
According to the information, the proposals also include taking stricter actions against the so-called a Russian shadow fleet used to transport oil and petroleum products.
Russia has long been accused of using ships that are neither owned by Western shipping companies nor insured by Western insurance companies to circumvent the Western price ceiling on Russian oil exports to third countries.
Experts believe there are significant risks to shipping and the environment with these vessels, as many tankers are outdated, have technical deficiencies and sometimes operate without an automatic identification system.
For months, Baltic Sea neighbors such as Sweden have been pushing for tougher measures against the shipowners, operators and insurance companies involved. Earlier this week, the UK launched new sanctions against Russia's “shadow fleet”, adding 30 ships to its sanctions list.
According to the plans of the European Commission, the European Union can target about 50 ships. For example, they may be barred from entering ports in EU countries. More than two dozen ships were already on the EU list in June.
The latest package of EU sanctions against Russia was agreed in June. It primarily included measures against multibillion-dollar deals with liquefied natural gas and against companies involved in circumventing sanctions.
Another package of EU sanctions against Russia is planned for February next year, on the third anniversary of Russia's war against Ukraine. The decision on the currently planned sanctions should be made by the end of the year at the latest.
The administration of US President Joe Biden is preparing new arms aid to Ukraine worth $725 million, Reuters reported, citing BTA, citing sources familiar with the administration.
The Biden administration plans to provide a variety of anti-tank weapons, according to an official familiar with the plan
from US stockpiles to counter advancing Russian troops, as well as including anti-personnel mines, drones, “Stinger“ and ammunition for the HYMARS artillery missile systems.
The US decision to allow Ukraine to use US weapons deep in Russian territory has not increased the risk of a nuclear attack, Reuters reported, citing BTA, citing five sources close to US intelligence.
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But Russia is likely to expand its campaign of sabotage against European targets to increase pressure on the West over its support for Kiev, said the five sources, two senior officials, one congressman and two aides to US congressmen, who Reuters has talked.
A series of intelligence assessments over the past seven months have concluded that a nuclear escalation is unlikely to result from a decision to loosen restrictions on how Ukraine uses US weapons. That assessment has not changed since US President Joe Biden this month changed the US position on the use of weapons, the sources said.
"The assessments are consistent: ATAKMS missiles will not change Russia's nuclear accounts,” says one of the congressmen, referring to the American missiles with a range of up to 306 km.
Russia's launch of a new ballistic missile last week, which analysts say was a warning to Washington and its European allies, does not change that conclusion.
One in five US officials say Washington believes Russia will not try to escalate the conflict by using nuclear weapons, but believes it will try to respond appropriately to what it sees as an escalation by USA. The official said the use of the new Russian missile is part of that effort.
The sources said US officials initially resisted the idea of allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons against Russia, citing concerns about an escalation of the conflict and uncertainty about how Putin would react. Some of those initially resisting representatives included White House, Pentagon, and State Department officials. They have feared a lethal response against US military and diplomatic personnel and attacks on NATO allies. Other representatives were more concerned about nuclear escalation.
Biden has changed his mind about using the long-range missiles because of North Korea's involvement in the war in Ukraine before the US presidential election, the five sources told Reuters.
Some American officials already believe that fears of escalation, including nuclear, were exaggerated then, but stress that the overall situation in Ukraine remains dangerous and that the risk of nuclear escalation should not be written off completely.
Russia's ability to find other covert ways to retaliate against the West also remains a cause for concern.
„Russia's hybrid response is troubling,” said Angela Stent, director of the Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies Department at Georgetown University, referring to Russian sabotage in Europe.
The White House and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment on the matter to Reuters. The Kremlin has also not yet responded to a request for comment on the intelligence assessments.