Council of the European Union
The European Commission's proposal to extend the 'economic visa-free regime' for Ukraine will help lift the bans on agricultural imports imposed by Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
EU ambassadors have agreed to use the proceeds of frozen Russian assets to help rebuild Ukraine. This was reported by Belgium, which holds the presidency of the EU Council.
The European Council has extended economic sanctions against Russia for another 6 months until July 31, 2024 in response to Russia's actions to destabilize the situation in Ukraine. The sanctions, first introduced in 2014, have been significantly expanded since February 2022 and include restrictions on trade, finance, technology, industry, transportation and luxury goods.
The EU denies reports that it plans to impose financial sanctions on Hungary to force it to agree to fund aid to Ukraine.