European Union

EU defense ministers agree to fulfill their promise to deliver 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine by the end of the year.

The President of Lithuania warns that peace talks with Russia on its terms could again trap the West, allowing Russia to buy time and strengthen its position.

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.

In January 2024, more than 21,000 hectares of agricultural land in Ukraine were surveyed for mines as demining efforts continued in accordance with an updated action plan.

In a private conversation, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban acknowledged that Hungary would not be able to prevent Ukraine's accession to the European Union.

The European Commission has proposed to extend the suspension of import duties and quotas on Ukrainian exports to the EU for another year, while proposing measures to protect sensitive EU agricultural products.

EU leaders will propose holding annual debates on the planned €50 billion aid package for Ukraine to overcome Hungary's opposition to the funding.

The United States plans to provide Ukraine with weapons by transferring them to Greece with the understanding that Greece will then transfer some of its surplus weapons to Ukraine.

EU defense ministers will discuss providing additional assistance to Ukraine from the European Peace Fund and possible reformatting of the fund.

Ukraine is exploring various options for obtaining the necessary amount of ammunition for its armed forces, as they need more supplies to continue the fight against Russia.

Five EU leaders call on the bloc to fulfill its promises and provide Ukraine with enough weapons.

Ukraine needs more ammunition to defend itself against a Russian invasion, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said before a meeting with EU defense ministers.

Due to production delays and stockpile issues, the EU will only be able to deliver about 600,000 rounds of ammunition to Ukraine by March, falling short of the promised 1 million rounds.

The Italian regulator informed OpenAI that the ChatGPT chatbot violates European privacy laws.

Italian farmers demonstrated with tractors near Milan to protest against EU agricultural policy and the impact of inflation and taxes on food prices, demanding real prices that reflect the true cost of food and a meeting with Prime Minister Maloni's government.

Zelenskiy and Orban will meet if Ukraine fulfills Hungary's conditions, Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto says.

Czech President Petr Pavel said that European countries should prepare for a possible Trump victory in the US elections. He believes that Trump can quickly reach an agreement with Putin that will not be beneficial for Ukraine and Europe.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas called on EU leaders to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine to help rebuild and restore the country's economy.

EU diplomat urges Central Asian countries to expand cooperation with the bloc to weaken Russia's war machine.

Hungary is ready to join a pan-European decision on financing assistance to Ukraine if there is a guarantee that it will be able to decide annually whether to provide money.

At a summit on February 1, EU leaders will reaffirm their commitment to continue providing military support to Ukraine and emphasize the urgent need to speed up the supply of ammunition and missiles, according to a draft document obtained by Reuters.

Russia's war against Ukraine continues and, so to speak, the intensity of hostilities is increasing, and "we see no light at the end of the tunnel," said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. He emphasized the importance of protecting the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity and avoiding a world where "might makes right"

Ukraine and Germany held the second round of negotiations on a bilateral agreement on security commitments. The parties discussed terminology and legal formalities, and agreed to continue communication to finalize the agreement.

Italy has unveiled a €5. 5 billion investment plan to strengthen relations with Africa, seeking to boost energy ties and address migration flows.

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 Commission may approve the extension of preferential trade with Ukraine until 2025, taking into account Poland's proposals to restrict imports of certain Ukrainian goods.

Ukraine will sign bilateral agreements to regulate many citizenship issues rather than create a unified formula, according to MP Maria Mezentseva. She said that Ukraine will take into account the experience of other countries, but will bring some aspects closer to itself even before joining the EU.

Ukraine and Hungary have agreed to set up a commission to finally resolve issues related to national minority rights. The commission will have 10 days to present an understanding of how to resolve the issues raised by Hungary regarding the protection of minority rights.

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.