Category: Nanaia Mahuta

New Zealand to Deploy Military Aircraft, 50 Personnel to Aid Ukraine War Effort

New Zealand (NZ) will deploy a C130 Hercules military aircraft with 50 personnel to Europe on Wednesday to support Ukraine against Russia’s invasion. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also announced NZ$13 million (US$8.9 million) in further support, including $7.5 million to procure of weapons and ammunition via the United Kingdom and the deployment of eight logistics…


Russia Sanctions Entire New Zealand Parliament, Including Jacinda Ardern

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it has blacklisted the entire New Zealand (NZ) parliament from entering the country, including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Governor-General Cindy Kiro, and the country’s top spy chiefs. The step to blacklist all 130 of NZ’s leaders and MPs was to “reciprocate” Wellington’s “unfriendly actions” of joining the United…


New Zealand Announces 35 Percent Tariff on All Russian Imports

New Zealand (NZ) has announced it would be applying a 35 percent tariff to all imports from Russia, including oil, fertiliser, and vodka, the most significant economic response to the Russian invasion to date. “The images and reports emerging of atrocities committed against civilians in Bucha and other regions of Ukraine is abhorrent and reprehensible,…


New Zealand Sanctions 36 Russian Oligarchs Including Chelsea Football Club Owner

The New Zealand (NZ) government has rolled out a new wave of sanctions targeting oligarchs with close personal ties to President Vladimir Putin or the Russian government, including Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced that the sanctions on a further 36 individuals came into effect on March 5. “This list includes…


New Zealand-China Free Trade ‘Upgrade’ to Come Into Force April: Trade Minister

New Zealand’s (NZ) trade minister met last week with his Chinese counterpart to finalise details around an “upgrade” to its free trade agreement (FTA), which will come into effect on April 7. NZ’s Damien O’Connor said it was a “significant step” for the FTA, which was signed originally in 2008—the first FTA between Beijing and…


Australian Foreign Minister Joins Five Eyes’ Condemning ‘Erosion of Democratic Elements’ in Hong Kong

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne has joined Five Eyes partners in expressing grave concern over the “erosion of democratic elements” in recent elections in Hong Kong that delivered a major victory to pro-Beijing candidates. “Since handover, candidates with diverse political views have contested elections in Hong Kong. Yesterday’s election has reversed this trend,” according to…


France’s Mahut and Herbert Clinch Another French Open Doubles Title

Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut became the first French pair to win their home Grand Slam twice when they defeated Kazakhs Alexander Bublik and Andrey Golubev 4–6 7–6(1) 6–4 in the men’s doubles final at Roland Garros on Saturday. Herbert and Mahut, who have won all four majors in doubles together, added to their 2018…


New Zealand’s Stance on China, Five Eyes an ‘Ethical Mess’: British Politician

UK politicians have responded with shock and sharp criticism for New Zealand’s (NZ) prime minister and foreign minister over remarks about the country’s stance on China and the Five Eyes alliance. During the debate in the UK House of Commons about whether to declare the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) treatment of Uyghur Muslims a genocide, conservative…


ANZ Foreign Ministers Discuss Five Eyes at First In-Person Meeting

The foreign ministers of Australia and New Zealand (NZ) met in person for the first time in Wellington on Thursday for their biannual consultations to discuss ways to strengthen the countries’ trans-Tasman ties. The meeting came days after NZ Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the Ardern government was “uncomfortable” with the Five Eye’s intelligence-sharing alliance expanding…


New Zealand ‘Uncomfortable’ With Expanding Five Eyes to Confront China: NZ Foreign Minister

In a move likely to appease Beijing, New Zealand’s foreign minister is distancing the nation’s foreign policy away from close democratic allies, preferring to chart its own course on relations with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta was speaking—in her second major address since assuming office—at the New Zealand China Council on…