Europe

Ukraine became Europe's largest arms importer in 2019-2023 thanks to military assistance from at least 30 countries after Russia's invasion in February 2022, with arms imports to Europe increasing by 94% compared to 2014-2018.

Russia produces about 3 million artillery shells a year, which is almost three times more than the 1. 2 million shells produced by the United States and Europe for Ukraine.

Today marks the beginning of Maslenitsa, an ancient Slavic holiday that celebrates the arrival of spring.

Van Gogh's 1884 painting "Portrait of a Peasant Woman in a White Bonnet" was sold for 4. 5 million euros at a European art fair.

Donald Trump will not finance the Ukraine-Russia war if he returns to the White House, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says.

President Zelenskyy criticized the Pope's proposal for Ukraine's negotiations with Russia, saying that the Church should be with people who are defending their lives, not engaged in "virtual mediation" from afar.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded to Pope Francis' proposal to hold talks between Ukraine and russia under a "white flag," emphasizing that Ukrainians live, die and win under their blue and yellow flag, and urged the Pope not to repeat historical mistakes.

NATO nations are rotating air defense systems, including Patriot systems, to Lithuania to strengthen Europe's defense capabilities in the Baltic region in response to concerns about russian aggression.

Japan and the United States are discussing cooperation to provide Ukraine with more ammunition, potentially easing Tokyo's restrictions on military exports and helping to expand the U. S. arsenal of weapons for Ukraine.

NATO diplomats suggest preparing for a possible US withdrawal from the alliance if Donald Trump wins the next presidential election.

The next meeting of the Ramstein Defense Contact Group is scheduled for March 19 at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where U. S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will meet with defense ministers and senior officials from around the world to discuss the situation in Ukraine and the security challenges facing U.S. allies and partners.

The United States imposed sanctions against a Russian company (Broker Expert LLC) and a company from the Central African Republic (Bois Rouge SARLU) for facilitating Russia's malicious activities and supporting the Wagner Group in the CAR.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on allies to provide the necessary support to Ukraine to win the war with Russia and prevent its potential spread to NATO territory, warning against repeating past mistakes that led to tragic consequences.

French troops are training intensively to fight a high-intensity war against a formidable foe like Russia, combining infantry, armored vehicles, artillery and new technologies such as drones to avoid costly frontal attacks and achieve the combat effectiveness of combined arms units.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on allies to urgently increase and accelerate military aid to Ukraine, saying that the strategy of helping Ukraine "one drop at a time" no longer works to defeat Russia and prevent the spread of war in Europe.

In March 2024, Ukraine expects to receive a negotiating framework for EU accession from the European Commission. The Ukrainian government has implemented the necessary recommendations.

If Ukraine loses, Russia will definitely attack NATO countries, President Zelenskiy warned, calling on allies to support Ukraine to prevent further Russian aggression.

Oil prices remained largely unchanged as investors weighed potential future interest rate cuts in the US and Europe.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will visit Lithuania to discuss with the foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and France a rapid increase in military aid to Ukraine.

Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis arrived in Kyiv to reaffirm the EU's unwavering support for Ukraine as it bravely repels Russia's brutal and illegal aggression and defends Ukraine's future in Europe.

Kristalina Georgieva, the current IMF Managing Director, is interested in securing a second five-year term and has received the support of France, which is a crucial factor for her re-election.

President Biden emphasized his strong support for Ukraine, calling for unity against the russian invasion and the provision of weapons to help Ukraine defend itself.

Kuleba called on allied countries to urgently provide Ukraine with weapons and ammunition in larger quantities and at a faster pace to help repel Russian attacks and liberate the occupied territories.

Ukraine has shared intelligence with Moldova that helped the country prepare for and avoid a russian coup attempt, but Moldova, like other countries in the region, remains under threat of potential russian aggression.

Either Europe will give full support to Ukrainian soldiers in the defense of Ukraine, or one day European soldiers will have to give their lives defending Central and the rest of Europe from Russian aggression.

Ukraine needs more artillery ammunition and long-range missiles to repel russian attacks and liberate its territory, not a hypothetical deployment of foreign troops, who would also face a severe shortage of ammunition.

Ukraine urgently needs decisive and systematic decisions from its allies to provide sufficient artillery ammunition, not just feverish discussions.

Due to the long-term surplus of electricity in Ukraine, several nuclear power units are operating at reduced capacity, and Energoatom is preparing them for scheduled repairs ahead of schedule.

During his visit to Washington, D. C., German Economy Minister Robert Habeck called on the United States to provide Ukraine with more financial assistance.

The Romanian president said that because of Russia's war in Ukraine, Europe is facing the worst situation since World War II.