The boost Ukraine hoped for in its quest for long-term security commitments in the event of a ceasefire with Russia was delivered at a meeting on Tuesday in Paris.
Dozens of European leaders were hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, who with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer led the pledges by promising security areas with Franco-British forces.
US envoy Steve Witkoff, who was there with presidential son-in-law (other titles are not formalised) Jared Kushner, gave the clincher that Washington would stand behind protocols that required it to actively monitor the ceasefire and then step in to oversee the defence of Ukraine in the event of a breach. This delivery in person of US willingness to engage with European demands to protect Ukrainian sovereignty was described as game-changing by the assembled leaders.
Diplomatic activity on Ukraine peace talks has intensified in the past months, with the US holding separate meetings with Ukrainian and Russian negotiators but generally sidelining European states.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in the meeting in the French capital as part of broader efforts to put together a common Ukrainian, European and US position that could then be taken to Russia.
Friedrich Merz, Germany's plain-speaking Chancellor, provided a cautionary reminder that a deal with the Kremlin is some way distant, estimating that it could be at least six months away.
President Vladimir Putin has shown no inclination to reach a final deal. Nevertheless, Mr Kushner said it was a "big, big milestone".
Signatories in support of Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, far left, and Greenland's Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen, far right
Another caveat is that the talks took place with the US moving to secure sovereignty over Greenland before the end of Mr Trump's term in the White House. A joint statement in support of Greenland and its home nation Denmark was issued on Tuesday by the big European nations.
It said security in the Arctic region must be achieved "in conjunction with Nato allies including the United States, by upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders".
As the Paris meeting got under way we had a look at the corrosive effect of competing visions, diverging threat perceptions and contrasting regional ambitions that will determine Ukraine's fate this year.
Ukraine has indicated that it is willing to accept a ceasefire – a concession that includes losing a fifth of its territory – provided it receives firm security guarantees from America that will deter any future Russian attack. The bigger question is whether Moscow wants peace while its leaders believe there is a chance of more land being seized, even if it comes at a terrible cost.
Added into the mix is America's more aggressive stance after its Venezuela operations and belligerent talk of annexing Greenland, which could well change geopolitical dynamics.
Analysts told The National that discussing a truce demoralises Ukrainian troops as the thinking is, “Why go to the front line and be the last to die in the war?”
Orysia Lutsevych, head of the Ukraine forum at the Chatham House think tank, recently returned from the country where she found the peace process was having a corrosive effect. “A lot of people are asking, why should I volunteer? Why should I mobilise if maybe peace is around the corner?” she said. “This is part of Russia’s game to undermine Ukraine internally.”
Bob Seely, a former British Conservative MP who visits Ukraine frequently, argued that dragging out talks helps Moscow by making the Kremlin appear reasonable, while also sowing division between Europe and the US and buying it time in the ground war.
From within Iran comes a sense that this time things might be different. To me the defining driver of the 1979 revolution was not individual complaints but the broad mass turning on the system.
I got the same download on Tuesday from one of those clashing on the streets in the commercial heart of Tehran, the Grand Bazaar. “How can we have even the tiniest chance to live under these conditions? The economy is the trigger. Last time it was women’s clothing – the hijab issue – that was the trigger.
"We don’t want these people at all."
The protester described the brutality that met demonstrations.
“Around the Bazaar, many of us come to these demonstrations from other parts of the city when we hear they are happening. [Government forces] tried to use real weapons, real bullets,” said the protester.
"They attacked people, and before protesters could reach the subway station (Panzdah-e-Khordad), they threw tear gas inside.
Tear gas in Tehran. AFP
"There were sick people there, children, and even people who were not protesting, who had gone into the station to avoid encountering the police.”
Security forces then entered the metro station. “They got inside the station and that was horrible. You know, it's a closed space. It's isolated and people couldn't breathe. That is really horrible," the protester said.
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Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
The biog
Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah
Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
Match info
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Liverpool v Porto, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed Fixtures and results:
Monday, UAE won by three wickets
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
