Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis sign an agreement at Maximos Mansion in Athens, on August 21. AP
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis sign an agreement at Maximos Mansion in Athens, on August 21. AP
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis sign an agreement at Maximos Mansion in Athens, on August 21. AP
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis sign an agreement at Maximos Mansion in Athens, on August 21. AP

Greece offers Ukraine F-16 training and support to rebuild Odesa


Soraya Ebrahimi
  • English
  • Arabic

Greece has offered to help train Ukrainian F-16 jet pilots and assist with the reconstruction of Odesa, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday.

"Today we have an important result for the air coalition: Greece will take part in training our pilots on F-16s. Thank you for this offer," Mr Zelenskyy told media alongside Mr Mitsotakis, on an official visit to Athens.

The US said on Friday it would let Denmark and the Netherlands hand F-16 fighter jets over to Ukraine when its pilots are trained to use them, a move welcomed by Mr Zelenskyy.

Training by an 11-nation coalition is to begin this month, and officials hope pilots will be ready by early 2024.

Greece has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since Russia's invasion, providing humanitarian aid and weapons including infantry fighting vehicles, Kalashnikov assault rifles, missile launchers and ammunition.

Mr Mitsotakis on Monday said Greece would "be present in the titanic effort to reconstruct and rebuild" Ukraine, with "particular emphasis on Odesa".

The Ukrainian port city in the early 19th century was the birthplace of a secret Greek revolutionary organisation that helped to start the 1821 revolution against Ottoman rule in Greece.

Ukraine and Russia conflict latest - in pictures

Mr Zelenskyy is concluding a European tour, with earlier stops in Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark.

His visit to Athens coincided with an informal dinner hosted by Mr Mitsotakis with Balkan leaders, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel.

The Greek PM's office said the gathering marks the 20th anniversary of the 2003 Thessaloniki summit confirming the European perspective of Western Balkan states.

Mr Zelenskyy had earlier posted on Telegram that he would hold a joint meeting and separate talks on bilateral issues with the Balkan leaders, and also meet Ms von der Leyen.

The other participants are the presidents of Serbia, Moldova, Montenegro and Romania, the prime ministers of Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Croatia, and the chairwoman of the council of ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr Mitsotakis's office said.

A historically Russian ally bound by centuries of tradition and a shared Orthodox Christian faith, Greece under Mr Mitsotakis has shifted and unequivocally condemned Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Last year it expelled a dozen members of Russia's diplomatic and consular missions, and is hosting thousands of Ukrainians and their families.

In April, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov visited the Greek capital for talks with his then counterpart Nikos Panagiotopoulos.

Mr Reznikov at the time said Ukraine after the war would seek Greek assistance in de-mining the Sea of Azov, and developing the country's naval forces.

Greece has also offered to rebuild the maternity hospital in Mariupol that was shelled last year.

In April 2022, Mr Zelenskyy gave a televised speech at a special session of Greek Parliament to request assistance for Mariupol and Odesa, two Ukrainian cities that have had large ethnic Greek populations for centuries.

The session saw a rare attendance by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, and Mr Zelenskyy was given a standing ovation by Greek ministers and MPs.

The Greek communists and a small nationalist party boycotted the event.

Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Company%20profile
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The%20Genius%20of%20Their%20Age
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Gully Boy

Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi​​​​​​​
Rating: 4/5 stars

RACECARD
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3E6pm%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Land%20Forces%20-%20Maiden%20(TB)%20Dh82%2C500%20(Dirt)%201%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E6.35pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20Naval%20Forces%20-%20Maiden%20(TB)%20Dh82%2C500%20(D)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E7.10pm%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sharjah%20Air%20Force%20-%20Maiden%20(TB)%20Dh82%2C500%20(D)%201%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E7.45pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAjman%20Presidential%20Guard%20-%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh95%2C000%20(D)%201%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E8.20pm%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%20Creek%20Mile%20%E2%80%93%20Listed%20(TB)%20Dh132%2C500%20(D)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E8.55pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUmm%20Al%20Quwain%20and%20Ras%20Al%20Khaimah%20Joint%20Aviation%20-%20Rated%20Conditions%20(TB)%20Dh95%2C000%20(D)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E9.30pm%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fujairah%20National%20Service%20and%20Reserve%20-%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh82%2C500%20(D)%201%2C400m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Transmission: seven-speed automatic

Power: 400hp

Torque: 560Nm

Price: Dh234,000 - Dh329,000

On sale: now

The specs

Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8

Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm

Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km

Price: Dh380,000

On sale: now 

BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
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Our legal advisor

Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.

Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation. 

Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.

Abu Dhabi GP weekend schedule

Friday

First practice, 1pm 
Second practice, 5pm

Saturday

Final practice, 2pm
Qualifying, 5pm

Sunday

Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps), 5.10pm

AIR
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What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
  • A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
  • A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
  • Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Six large-scale objects on show
  • Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
  • The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
  • A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
  • Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
  • A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
  • Torrijos Palace dome
The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

FIGHT%20CARD
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Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday

Updated: August 21, 2023, 9:18 PM`