Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius proposes that EU countries use funds from the €150 billion investment plan to support Ukraine. Some countries have already expressed their readiness to apply loans from the 'Security Actions for Europe' program for Kyiv.
French President Emmanuel Macron assured Volodymyr Zelenskyy of support for Ukraine and readiness to increase pressure on Moscow. He emphasized the necessity of peace and welcomed new US and EU sanctions against the Russian Federation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that since 2022, Russia has killed 135 journalists who were covering the truth about the war. He thanked the media community for their work, which puts pressure on Russia.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy held a series of meetings with European leaders during the EU Summit in Brussels.
The European Union is preparing its 19th package of sanctions against Russia, for the first time including two independent Chinese oil refineries and one trading company. These entities are involved in circumventing Western restrictions, increasing pressure on Beijing.
The European Union is preparing to approve the 19th package of sanctions against Russia, which includes a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas from 2027. The package also targets Russian banks, lenders in Central Asia, and cryptocurrency exchanges, expanding trade restrictions and blacklisting oil tankers.
Ukraine's allies are seeking to strengthen its position ahead of Trump-Putin talks, fearing a bad deal. They are preparing a support package that includes funding, weapons, and new sanctions against Russia, and plan to involve Zelenskyy in any negotiations.
Cyprus criminalizes the provision of economic resources to sanctioned individuals, which may include accounts in sanctioned Russian banks for Russians with Cypriot passports. This is the implementation of a European Parliament directive, which only seven EU countries had implemented by May 20.
The US opposes the EU's plan to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, citing risks to market stability. This move is a setback for the EU, which has been trying to persuade G7 countries to join its initiative.
The European Union is considering using frozen Russian state assets worth 140 billion euros to provide a loan to Ukraine. The European Commission also seeks to raise 25 billion euros from private bank accounts for this initiative.
Canada and the United Kingdom will join the EU's plan to use nearly $300 billion in Russian Central Bank assets to support Ukraine. This mechanism provides for the provision of loans for weapons and economic support without direct confiscation of funds.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Ukraine is a world leader in drone technology and combating them. NATO uses Ukraine's knowledge and will take additional measures to combat Russian drones.
Germany will deploy Eurofighter jets to the Polish military airbase in Malbork. This decision was made to protect NATO's eastern flank, as stated by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
The European Commission aims to launch a "drone wall" by the end of 2026, with full functionality expected by the end of 2027. This initiative is part of a roadmap aimed at preparing the bloc for a potential attack from Moscow.
The European Union plans to launch joint drone and air defense projects. The plan envisages a complete overhaul of EU military planning and procurement, with the aim of jointly carrying out 40% of defense procurement by the end of 2027.
The European Commission will propose rules for short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb to counter the social crisis of affordable housing. The EU's first housing commissioner, Dan Jørgensen, noted that this issue is within the EU's competence.
Hungarian conservative politician, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, criticized the EU's energy policy at a conference in Moscow, noting that "contracts" with Russia "have always been honored. "
Estonia will contribute $12 million to the fourth PURL package, which it calls the Baltic Nordic package, to finance American weapons for Ukraine. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur expects contributions from other allies, as the share of US contributions has significantly decreased.
The Netherlands has pledged to provide Ukraine with 90 million euros for drones. The Dutch Minister of Defense emphasized the need to develop more effective methods of destroying drones than using F-35 fighters.
Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson said that the country is ready to make new contributions to the PURL initiative on armaments. He called on other countries to increase aid to Ukraine, as its support is declining.
Finland has joined NATO's PURL project, which involves purchasing weapons for Ukraine from the United States. Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen emphasized the critical importance of long-range missiles for Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that the supply of long-range missiles to Ukraine is not a topic for discussion today, as it is a bilateral issue. He also noted that support for Ukraine has not diminished.
Great Britain has invested £600 million to accelerate the supply of drones to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, delivering 85,000 military drones. British aircraft will continue to protect Polish airspace until the end of the year after Russian drone incursions.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth in Brussels emphasized the principle of "peace through strength. " He noted that allies' commitments will soon turn into capabilities, including the PURL initiative.
The European Commission intends to expand the "drone wall" initiative – a defense project initially aimed at protecting the EU's eastern border – to cover the whole of Europe.
The European Union is considering using about 200 billion euros of frozen Russian central bank assets as the only way to sustainably finance Ukraine. EU leaders aim to reach a political agreement on this at next week's summit, after which work on a legal proposal will begin.
The European Commission is investigating allegations of Hungarian espionage against European institutions. An international journalistic investigation uncovered a network of secret agents operating through Hungary's Permanent Representation to the EU.
Austria has suspended the adoption of the 19th package of EU sanctions against Russia, demanding the unfreezing of Rasperia Trading assets to compensate Raiffeisen Bank. The bank seeks to recover 2.1 billion euros it lost due to a Russian court decision.
An investigation by SPIEGEL, De Tijd, and Direkt36 revealed that Hungarian intelligence appears to have been spying on EU institutions in Brussels for years, attempting to recruit European officials. One agent, operating under diplomatic cover, according to the investigation, offered money to a European Commission employee.
Belgium is facing increasing pressure to allow the use of frozen Russian assets for a “reparation loan” to Ukraine. This comes after a shift in position by Berlin and other Western capitals, which now support the idea.
