European Union

Ukraine is experiencing significant electricity shortages for most of the day due to widespread damage to power plants, necessitating emergency imports from neighboring countries and limiting consumption for industry from 6:00 p. m. to 7:00 a.m., with potential emergency blackouts if consumption increases.

Ukrainian gymnast Maria Vysocanska carried the Olympic torch on the first day of the relay in France to honor the memory of her father, who took part in the battle for Donetsk airport in 2014.

President Zelenskyy discussed preparations for the Global Peace Summit with European Commission President von der Leyen, who confirmed her participation.

Violent attacks and intimidation tactics were used against opposition activists and NGOs protesting Georgia's controversial law on "foreign agents.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine expects the negotiation framework to be approved and the actual start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union in June, marking the next stage of rapprochement with the EU.

On Victory Day, Estonians put up a poster on the border with Russia that read "Putin is a war criminal" to remind Russia of its "destructive work" in Ukraine.

Oleg Kiper discussed important wartime topics with international leaders at the second International Cities and Regions Summit and signed cooperation agreements with Romanian and Moldovan partners.

On Europe Day, U. S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken emphasized the importance of the U.S.-EU partnership in defending against Russian aggression in Ukraine and noted shared democratic values and economic prosperity.

Wealthy Russians are trying to return their assets to Russia or friendly countries such as the UAE because of the sanctions, but fear the potential nationalization of their businesses in Russia, leaving them in a state of uncertainty.

Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, met with Robert Metsola, President of the European Parliament, in an air raid shelter during her visit to Kyiv on Europe Day to discuss military support, Ukraine's EU membership bid, and support for parliamentary cooperation.

President of the European Council Charles Michel confirmed his participation in the Global Peace Summit to be held in June during a telephone conversation with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and called on all world leaders to support Ukraine's peace efforts.

Ukraine is close to the start of actual accession negotiations with the European Union, and the President of the European Parliament is optimistic that the framework for negotiations will be adopted by EU member states in June.

The European Union does not recognize the so-called Russian elections, especially those held illegally in the occupied territories of Ukraine, and the new European Parliament is expected to take a strong position.

Georgia's Ambassador to France, Gocha Javakhishvili, resigned over a controversial law on foreign agents that has strained Georgia's relations with its European partners and made his mission extremely difficult.

President Zelenskyy and European Parliament President Mecola met in Kyiv to maximize efforts to protect lives in Ukraine and Europe from Russia's ongoing invasion and attacks.

The EU is still discussing possible measures against Tbilisi for adopting the law on "foreign agents. " The European Union is currently considering canceling the visa-free regime with Georgia if the country adopts this controversial law.

Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, a 68-year-old law professor and candidate for the opposition conservative party, won the presidential election in North Macedonia, becoming the first woman to hold the post in the country's history.

Ukraine's path to EU accession will be difficult, but the European Parliament and the EU will help rebuild Ukraine's infrastructure and economy because Ukraine is Europe and Europe is Ukraine, said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.

Portugal's Foreign Minister said that Ukraine's accession to the EU is of fundamental importance to Portugal because of potential economic opportunities, solving the food problem, and because Ukraine is a pro-Atlantic ally.

Ukraine is close to starting EU accession talks after fulfilling all the necessary requirements, and the negotiation phase is expected to begin in June, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

90% of the frozen Russian assets worth about €192 billion held in the Belgian securities depository Euroclear will be used to support Ukraine, while the remaining 10% will go to the EU, leaving a significant portion of the total €220 billion of frozen Russian assets in the EU financial system unused.

The head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, indicated what the proceeds from frozen Russian assets are proposed to be used for in Ukraine.

In the first quarter of 2024, the United States overtook China to become Germany's top trading partner with a trade volume of 63 billion euros, while China's figure was just under 60 billion euros.

Due to hostile shelling and damage to energy facilities, electricity supplies to industrial consumers were limited, and restrictions are still possible, and Ukraine received emergency aid from Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, which amounted to about 3% of daily electricity consumption.

Today, on May 9, Ukraine, along with all the countries of the European Union, celebrates Europe Day. The event was launched in 1985 during a meeting of the European Council in Milan.

Chinese President Xi Jinping made no concessions during his talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, despite efforts to improve tense relations over trade disputes and Beijing's support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The EU does not have an agreed position on whether or not to recognize Vladimir Putin as the legitimate president of Russia, but all 27 member states have recognized that the elections in Russia were not transparent.

The participation of several EU diplomats in Putin's inauguration in Moscow does not contradict the EU's agreed position on continuing to support Ukraine against Russia's illegal aggression, an EU spokesman said.

Serbia became the first European country to sign an agreement with China on a "shared future" and deepening of a comprehensive strategic partnership.

April 2024 was the hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak of record monthly temperatures, indicating that the world is dangerously close to exceeding the 1. 5°C global warming limit set by the Paris Agreement.