Ukraine hits Moscow oil refinery in response to strikes on Ukraine – Europe live | World news
Morning opening: Ukraine hits Moscow oil refinery, disrupting flights in retaliatory attack as NATO and EU leaders meet for talks
Yakup Krupa
Ukraine struck an oil refinery near Moscow and other targets in Russia overnight Which president? Volodymyr Zelensky called A “justified response” to the recent attacks on Ukraine.
Russian officials were quoted as saying: Attack forced commercial flights and airports will be suspended for security reasons and Moscow ring road caused temporary haltAfter nearly 180 drones were shot down over the Russian capital.
“This is a completely justified response to Russia’s attacks on our cities and communities and is another significant consequence of Russia’s attacks. the work of our fighters against the facilities that sustain Russia’s war machine,” said Zelenskyy.
strikes On the day of the NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels, It is the last one before the summit to be held in Ankara next month.
NATO allies are expected to discuss the latest developments regarding their defense spending plans. The United States is pressuring Europe to take more responsibility for the continent’s defense.
Later, ministers will also attend the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, It is an important forum for coordinating support for Ukraine, in which Zelenskyy is expected to attend.
The main event takes place quite late in the day, because EU leaders are expected to meet for the European Council meeting on Ukraine and the Middle East. A two-day peak is expected to last until late at night.
We have a lot to overcome.
His Thursday, June 18, 2026his Yakup Krupa here and this Europe Live.
Good morning.
important events
Hegseth told NATO: “Our direction is clear and clear”
hegseth “The direction of our journey is clear and clear,” he says.
“This is the right thing for the American people to do. This is the right thing for the alliance to do.
Europe can and must take primary responsibility for its conventional defense, as committed at the Hague Summit; “As we continue to safeguard Europe’s defenses for future generations, we know our allies can do it, and the time is now.”
Hegseth says some NATO countries will ‘fail’ US posture review
hegseth makes clear that the review will not just be a box-ticking exercise.
“This is an assessment that some countries will fail and others will succeed. “Ultimately, the review is intended to both improve the US force posture and establish and strengthen NATO 3.0.”
USA to review its forces in Europe
Hegseth said the United States would “redouble” efforts to ensure its allies spend what they need to spend.
says His ministry will conduct a six-month review of U.S. forces in Europe.
The real benefits of having a US military in Europe will be looked at and real review.
“IT It will be designed to ensure that NATO moves rapidly and irreversibly towards European leadership.“We are taking steps to assume primary responsibility for the defense of Europe.”
He then goes further to say The US contribution to the NATO budget will depend on other countries meeting their defense spending targets.
“If our other allies do not spend urgently, our dues and contributions will decrease. NATO will be a two-way street.”
He adds:
“America cannot be more involved or pay more for the defense of Europe than our allies.”
Hegseth says the ‘era of freeride’ is over
hegseth says: “Some of NATO’s largest economies, some of our richest countries, rules-based international order and allies happiest with middle powers coming together “I still think the era of free riding has arrived.”
He says Trump disagrees.
“This is not something any reasonable person would expect and it just won’t cut it anymore.”
(He may be thinking of Spain, among others, which has long been a target of U.S. criticism and has clashed with it in recent months.)
Hegseth says NATO allies’ refusal to help Iran is ‘shameful’
Hegseth does this A lot It’s clear how upset the US is with the perceived lack of support for Iran.
“The United States has defended Europe for generations, and the President said all he said was that our jets must take off from bases in Europe, or our ships from ports, to strike Iranian targets in the Middle East that threaten European interests much more directly than they threaten us.
But most of our allies said no or tried to drown us in secret legal arguments. or publicly criticized us for doing something they were not ready or able to do. It was embarrassing.
“These allies are putting America’s sons and daughters at risk by depriving them of foreseeable access to face an overflight that should never have been possible.”
Hegseth says US ‘tests allies to support America and many fail’
hegseth Sanctions are now toughening on some NATO countries that still pay below expected levels.
“Frankly, it seems that many Allied capitals are still missing something in translation,” he says, and “many allies still fail to understand the historical need to build a relevant, strong military alliance.”
says The United States “gave our allies a test to support America when we asked for their help and many failed.”
‘There have been real disruptions that we cannot ignore,’ Hegseth tells NATO
hegseth He says Trump has been clear about his intention to increase defense spending, thereby showing that the United States is leading the way and showing others that “it’s not about what I say, do what we do.”
says He believes that the US approach to Ukraine has been vindicated, This approach is actually yielding positive results, with allies taking more responsibility for Ukraine’s defense.
“It happens and This is a validation of President Trump’s approach, “An approach that will pave the way for peace.”
But he says: “For all these first steps in the right direction, There were also real disruptions that we cannot ignore.”
hegseth He continues by saying NATO 2.0 was the “age of distraction, deindustrialization and demilitarization” along with the “era of free riding”.
“These were lost years that we can’t get back.”
That’s why, he says, his department has been “so open and frank” about the need to “reestablish the core military role and character of NATO” and return U.S. troop levels to pre-2022 levels.
He said that for the alliance to be as strong as it should be, it must return to its roots and “improve Article Five if necessary”.
He said some countries “got the message and took action” but others were still failing.
‘Europe was not supposed to be dependent on the US,’ Hegseth told NATO
hegseth seems to be praising The spending commitments agreed at last year’s NATO summit in The Hague said they were “all about turning NATO back into a genuine military alliance.” “This focuses on hard power and real deterrence.”
However, he continues with another remarkable quote:
“Europe was not supposed to be dependent on the USA. This was not what Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle or Konrad Adenauer wanted or expected. No, Europe was supposed to be a military power allied with a strong America.”
NATO history goes back to 1951 and quotes Eisehower’s comment: “If within 10 years all American troops deployed for national defense in Europe are not returned to the United States, then this entire process will have failed.”
But he says so In the following years, NATO 2.0 increasingly focused on “gender equality and climate change” rather than “tanks, warplanes and air defenses.”
“In addition to Europe’s belief in itself and its civilization, Europe’s borders have opened wide, welfare states have expanded, and defense budgets have shrunk. NATO has lost its way.”
Ah, Again.
US Hegseth told NATO ministers: “NATO is a paper tiger and a one-way street”
US defense secretary Pete Hegseth He wanted to speak at the beginning of the NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels and too much It looks like his comments will set the tone for the day.
He begins by saying that Trump “has said repeatedly that our allies must step up.”
“NATO was a paper tiger and a one-way street. No more.”
Ah.
Morning opening: Ukraine hits Moscow oil refinery, disrupting flights in retaliatory attack as NATO and EU leaders meet for talks
Yakup Krupa
Ukraine struck an oil refinery near Moscow and other targets in Russia overnight Which president? Volodymyr Zelenskiy called A “justified response” to the recent attacks on Ukraine.
Russian officials were quoted as saying: Attack forced commercial flights and airports will be suspended for security reasons and Moscow ring road caused temporary haltAfter nearly 180 drones were shot down over the Russian capital.
“This is a completely justified response to Russia’s attacks on our cities and communities and is another significant consequence of Russia’s attacks. the work of our fighters against the facilities that sustain Russia’s war machine,” said Zelenskyy.
strikes On the day of the NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels, It is the last one before the summit to be held in Ankara next month.
NATO allies are expected to discuss the latest developments regarding their defense spending plans. The United States is pressuring Europe to take more responsibility for the continent’s defense.
Later, ministers will also attend the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, It is an important forum for coordinating support for Ukraine, in which Zelenskyy is expected to attend.
The main event takes place quite late in the day, because EU leaders are expected to meet for the European Council meeting on Ukraine and the Middle East. A two-day peak is expected to last until late at night.
We have a lot to overcome.
His Thursday, June 18, 2026his Yakup Krupa here and this Europe Live.
Good morning.
