US President Joe Biden’s administration is working on a billion-dollar proposal for new arms shipments to Israel, as Czech president calls for peace in Ukraine, Wall Street Journal reports.
The arms package includes a potential transfer of $700 million worth of tank ammunition, $500 million worth of tactical vehicles and $60 million worth of mortar shells.
The ammunition is intended to replenish supplies used during the war with Hamas. The decision to continue arms shipments indicates Biden’s reluctance to deepen differences with Israeli authorities.
Earlier, US President Joe Biden said that Israel and Hamas could reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip “even tomorrow” if Hamas agrees to release the hostages.
Meanwhile, Czech President Petr Pavel said in an interview with Sky News that he calls for peace in Ukraine and he was in favour of starting negotiations on a post-war settlement.
The programme host decided to ask the head of state whether Ukraine should start negotiations with Russia now. Pavel replied:
“It is necessary to stop military actions and start discussing the future order. Find some kind of compromise, but not without the consent of Ukraine, Russia and the countries that will be guarantors of this agreement.”
He noted that now in Russia’s actions on the territory of Ukraine we can observe the result of a long preparation. Ukrainians understood that the Russian military would go on the offensive with the arrival of warm seasons, so they asked for more ammunition and equipment, Pavel added.
The president also described as naive the idea that in the near future Ukraine will be able to regain the territories seized by the Russian army. But he added that Ukraine still has the possibility to become a NATO member when the conflict is over.
