European Union

The Belgian prime minister expressed confidence that EU leaders will be able to reach an agreement on financial assistance to Ukraine at their summit.

According to Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, Ukrainian defenders destroyed over 400 Russian soldiers and 39 pieces of military equipment in the Tavria operational area over the past day.

In 2022-23, three Moldovan companies supplied $15 million worth of aircraft parts to Russia, circumventing EU sanctions against the Russian aviation industry.

EU leaders are gathering for an emergency summit where they are expected to confront Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban over his refusal to authorize a new €50 billion aid package for Ukraine, with efforts to persuade Orban doubling in the last 24 hours but failing as Hungary has demanded an annual veto on the funding, The Guardian reports.

A former russian official has been detained in London on charges of violating British sanctions and money laundering. He is currently under arrest and awaiting trial in prison.

China's new defense minister, Dong Jun, expressed support for Russia on the Ukrainian issue during his first talks with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

The EU will provide Ukraine with at least €21 billion in military aid in 2024. According to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, in the first two years of the full-scale invasion, official Kyiv received 28 billion euros in aid.

The EU plans to launch a naval mission in the Red Sea within the next three weeks to protect cargo ships from Houthi attacks in Yemen and reduce trade disruptions.

Ukraine has warned its allies that it faces a critical shortage of artillery shells as Russia deploys three times its firepower, requiring 200,000 shells a month. This week, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov wrote to his European Union counterparts.

The EU has announced plans to train another 20,000 Ukrainian troops in addition to the 40,000 already trained, bringing the total to 60,000 by the end of the summer, according to EU diplomat Josep Borrell.

The EU expects Ukraine to receive only 52% of the planned 1 million rounds of ammunition by March, according to the latest figures.

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food is developing a register of industrial hemp producers and sampling mechanisms to regulate hemp cultivation under the new law.

The SBU blocked four schemes to illegally transport men of military age abroad using forged documents, detaining ten organizers who charged up to $12,000 depending on the urgency.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promises to rally European support for Ukraine on the eve of the EU summit.

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.