عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

EU Countries Contributing to UNIFIL See Mission as 'Essential and Fundamental', Spanish Minister

A joint force from UNIFIL and the Lebanese army in Naqoura near the Israeli border (File - AFP)
A joint force from UNIFIL and the Lebanese army in Naqoura near the Israeli border (File - AFP)
TT
TT

EU Countries Contributing to UNIFIL See Mission as 'Essential and Fundamental', Spanish Minister

A joint force from UNIFIL and the Lebanese army in Naqoura near the Israeli border (File - AFP)
A joint force from UNIFIL and the Lebanese army in Naqoura near the Israeli border (File - AFP)

The EU countries contributing to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, dubbed as UNIFIL, say it is "essential and fundamental" and only the UN can decide whether to end it, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said on Wednesday after a video call with 15 of her counterparts, Reuters reported.

"All the countries that are part of it are firmly supporting the UNIFIL mission, our soldiers, our people who are there," she said in a video statement sent to reporters.

EU countries, led by Italy, France and Spain, have thousands of troops in the 10,000-strong peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, which has said it has repeatedly come under attack from Israeli forces in recent days. Israel has called on the United Nations to move the troops out of the combat zone.

 

 

 

Most Viewed

 
 
World

Ukraine Calls for Sanctions over Alleged North Korean Involvement in War

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses lawmakers as he presents the so-called “Victory Plan” during a parliament session, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses lawmakers as he presents the so-called “Victory Plan” during a parliament session, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Ukraine Calls for Sanctions over Alleged North Korean Involvement in War

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses lawmakers as he presents the so-called “Victory Plan” during a parliament session, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine October 16, 2024. (Reuters)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses lawmakers as he presents the so-called “Victory Plan” during a parliament session, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine October 16, 2024. (Reuters)

Ukraine called on its allies on Wednesday to impose new sanctions on Pyongyang after it said North Korea had become a de facto participant in the war in Ukraine on Russia's side.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told parliament in a speech to outline his victory plan that his spy services had confirmed North Korea's supply of both weapons and people to Russia, echoing similar comments in recent days.

"These are workers for Russian factories to replace Russians killed in the war. And personnel for the Russian army. In fact, this is the participation of a second state in the war against Ukraine on the side of Russia," Zelenskiy said.

The Kremlin has denied the allegation of North Korea sending people as "fake news". Moscow and Pyongyang have denied arms transfers but have said they will boost military ties, possibly including joint drills.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv's allies should respond firmly, including by imposing new sanctions and further isolating Pyongyang, whose relations with Russia have grown closer since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

"This is a huge threat of further escalation. We are approaching a new phase, new realities of war," he said at a news conference in the Black Sea city of Odesa.

White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said on Tuesday that the involvement of North Korean troops in Ukraine, if true, would mark a significant increase in the North Korea-Russia defense relationship.

Washington also says North Korea has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles and ammunition.

The US Army's Indo-Pacific commander, General Charles Flynn, told an event in Washington that North Korean personnel being involved in the conflict would allow Pyongyang to get real-time feedback on its weapons, something that had not been possible in the past.