Politics

Thursday, July 13

Training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 will start at the end of summer, and the planes will arrive in 2024.

Training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 will start at the end of summer, and the planes will arrive in 2024. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, announced that during a meeting with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, Rutte agreed to start training Ukrainian pilots on Western-style ...

The EU is preparing a long-term security support plan for Ukraine.

The EU is preparing a long-term security support plan for Ukraine. The European External Affairs Service has developed a draft plan that recommends that the EU undertake a full package of obligations regarding the security of Ukraine for many years. According to Poli...

Germany has decided against creating a repair center for Ukrainian Leopard tanks in Poland.

Germany has decided against creating a repair center for Ukrainian Leopard tanks in Poland. The Ministry of Defense of Germany reported that the Leopard 2 tanks damaged in Ukraine will now be repaired in Germany and perhaps in Lithuania. This applies to the Leopard 2 tanks that have been sup...

Wednesday, July 12

NATO summit: Ukraine will receive long-range missiles, non-lethal weapons, more support, and training of F-16 pilots.

NATO summit: Ukraine will receive long-range missiles, non-lethal weapons, more support, and training of F-16 pilots. France has decided to transfer long-range missiles to Ukraine. Specifically, these weapons are 50 SCALP missiles, an upgrade from the Storm Shadow already provided by Britain. South Korea has sent a p...

Germany agreed to allocate a $770M weapons package to Ukraine.

Germany agreed to allocate a $770M weapons package to Ukraine. On Tuesday Germany pledged to send Ukraine a weapons and military package worth €700M ($769.9M), according to the Germany’s Ministry of Defense. In a statement, the country’s defense minis...

During the summit meeting in Vilnius, Biden will try to adjust Zelenskyy’s ambitious plans for NATO.

During the summit meeting in Vilnius, Biden will try to adjust Zelenskyy’s ambitious plans for NATO. US President Joe Biden will hold meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Vilnius NATO summit on July 11-12. The meeting...

A three-element package for Ukraine was approved at the NATO Summit in Vilnius.

A three-element package for Ukraine was approved at the NATO Summit in Vilnius. According to the Secretary General of the bloc, Jens Stoltenberg, the package includes canceling the Membership Action Plan. However, the members failed to agree on inviting Ukraine to the Alliance. A...

The Ukrainian government has nationalized billion-dollar assets belonging to Russian oligarchs, with more to come.

The Ukrainian government has nationalized billion-dollar assets belonging to Russian oligarchs, with more to come. According to the State Bureau of Investigations, individuals close to Putin are among the owners of these assets. Among them are Arkady and Ihor Rotenberg, Oleg Deripaska, and Yevhen Giner. Thus, the ...

The gas war with the EU has deprived Russia of $28B in revenue.

The gas war with the EU has deprived Russia of $28B in revenue. The loss of the European gas market, which accounted for almost 80% of Gazprom’s exports, will cost the Russian federal budget $28B in tax revenue this year, according to Vygon Consulting. Gazpr...

Poland has begun confiscating the assets of Russian oligarchs.

Poland has begun confiscating the assets of Russian oligarchs. Poland has introduced temporary management of Russian oligarch Vyacheslav Kantor’s property in Grupa Azoty, Polish Minister of Development and Technology Waldemar Buda said. “We are elimin...

Tuesday, July 11

The EU has presented its conditions for the new €50B financing package for Ukraine.

The EU has presented its conditions for the new €50B financing package for Ukraine. The country’s authorities must fulfill several requirements to implement the Financial Instrument for Ukraine (Ukraine Facility) from the EU, which provides financing of up to €50B for four year...

Ukraine’s NATO package will consist of three elements.

Ukraine’s NATO package will consist of three elements. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke about these in Vilnius. This package was presented for the first time in Oslo at an informal meeting of foreign ministers from NATO member countries. Acco...

Ukraine will receive consistent support in Vilnius but will not be invited to join the Alliance.

Ukraine will receive consistent support in Vilnius but will not be invited to join the Alliance. According to Politico, Ukraine will most likely receive promises from NATO countries to continue most of the aid the allies are already providing. In addition, it will be offered “a more permane...

Almost 90% of Ukrainians want their country to become a NATO member.

Almost 90% of Ukrainians want their country to become a NATO member. According to a study by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, most Ukrainians (89%) in all regions of the country favor membership. However, there are also 8% who spoke out against joining th...

Monday, July 10

Ukraine wants to shorten its path to NATO, but Germany and the US have other plans.

Ukraine wants to shorten its path to NATO, but Germany and the US have other plans. According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, the route to the Alliance will be shortened, and some important decisions have already been made. At the same time, the minister added, the...

Poland has transferred 10 Mi-24 helicopters to Ukraine, Slovakia will deliver 16 howitzers, and the Czech Republic will provide a simulator for training F-16 pilots.

Poland has transferred 10 Mi-24 helicopters to Ukraine, Slovakia will deliver 16 howitzers, and the Czech Republic will provide a simulator for training F-16 pilots. The WSJ reported the recent secret transfer of helicopters. Also, Slovak President Zuzana Caputova announced the transfer of Zuzanna-2 howitzers and their joint production with Ukraine after talks wit...

The US has provided Ukraine with a new $800M military aid package including cluster munitions.

The US has provided Ukraine with a new $800M military aid package including cluster munitions. According to Pentagon Deputy Chairman Colin Kahl, the ammunition that will be delivered to Ukraine will include only those with a percentage of unexploded shells of less than 2.35%. According to the P...

The IMF has added four structural benchmarks to the program with Ukraine.

The IMF has added four structural benchmarks to the program with Ukraine. These have been added to the updated memorandum, which Ukraine must fulfill to receive the third tranche of aid. Two of them must be completed by the end of September. In particular, the articles of t...

Friday, July 7

The US may approve the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine this week.

The US may approve the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine this week. According to CBS News, the US is already studying the possibility of fulfilling Ukraine’s long-standing request for cluster munitions to help meet the military’s high demand for ammunition...

The Parliament of Bulgaria supports Ukraine’s membership in NATO.

The Parliament of Bulgaria supports Ukraine’s membership in NATO. During President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Bulgaria, the People’s Assembly of Bulgaria voted for a declaration of support for Ukraine’s membership in the North Atlantic Alliance...

German political party criticizes plans to sell fighter jets to Saudi Arabia instead of Ukraine.

German political party criticizes plans to sell fighter jets to Saudi Arabia instead of Ukraine. The German government intends to export 48 Eurofighter fighters to Saudi Arabia while refusing to supply combat aircraft to Ukraine. According to Bild, although the Bundeswehr owns 138 Eurofighter Jet...

Thursday, July 6

The British Commander in Chief rejects criticism about Ukraine’s slow offensive.

The British Commander in Chief rejects criticism about Ukraine’s slow offensive. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Great Britain, Tony Radakin, said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s main blow in the counter-offensive operations is yet to come, rejecting accusat...

Western diplomats: Ukraine needs a roadmap to join NATO as quickly as possible.

Western diplomats: Ukraine needs a roadmap to join NATO as quickly as possible. Forty-six Western experts, military personnel, and diplomats including former US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Bigen and Special Representative of the US State Department for Ukraine, Kurt Volker,...

Wednesday, July 5

The EU must invest an extra €700B annually to shift away from Russian fossil fuels.

The EU must invest an extra €700B annually to shift away from Russian fossil fuels. According to a draft report from the bloc’s executive arm, the European Union must invest an additional €700B a year to green the economy and shut out cheap Russian fossil fuels. Most of that fi...

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday that Ukrainian forces have proceeded in a very precise and well-organized way so far in the war.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday that Ukrainian forces have proceeded in a very precise and well-organized way so far in the war. Speaking at a joint press conference with Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, Scholz said he “never expected that everything would change from one day to the next” but added the Ukrain...

The German opposition has called for the support of Ukraine’s NATO membership.

The German opposition has called for the support of Ukraine’s NATO membership. Germany’s main political opposition force, the CDU/CSU alliance, is calling on the federal government to support the prospect of Ukraine’s membership in NATO ahead of the Vilnius summit, r...

The OSCE recognizes Russia as a sponsor of terrorism and Wagner as a terrorist group.

The OSCE recognizes Russia as a sponsor of terrorism and Wagner as a terrorist group. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly recognized the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism and the Russian Wagner Group as a terrorist organization. Yevgenia Kravchuk, a member of the Ukraini...

Tuesday, July 4

Imagining the EU without Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans is impossible.

Imagining the EU without Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans is impossible. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, once again emphasized support for the expansion of the EU and assistance to Kyiv in confronting Russia’s full-scale aggression. During ...

NATO: Ukraine has the right to conduct a cautious counteroffensive.

NATO: Ukraine has the right to conduct a cautious counteroffensive. Landmines and other obstacles complicate Ukraine’s counterattack against Russian forces, so the Ukrainian troops are right to proceed cautiously, said the head of the NATO Military Committee, Ad...

The International Centre for the Prosecution of Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine has started operations.

The International Centre for the Prosecution of Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine has started operations. Yesterday, the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA) began its operations in the Hague, hosted by the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Co...

Monday, July 3

Zelenskyy is afraid of losing Ukraine’s bipartisan support in the US.

Zelenskyy is afraid of losing Ukraine’s bipartisan support in the US. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he’s fears the loss of Ukraine’s bipartisan support from the US following what he called “dangerous messages coming from some Republicans...

The EU will tax profits on frozen Russian Central Bank assets.

The EU will tax profits on frozen Russian Central Bank assets. EU leaders are backing plans that would impose a windfall tax on profits generated by more than €200B in Russian Central Bank assets to aid Ukraine’s reconstruction and will seek political support fro...

Friday, June 30

Ukraine has a high chance of receiving long-range ATACMS soon.

Ukraine has a high chance of receiving long-range ATACMS soon. The United States is close to making a decision whether or not to provide Ukraine with ATACMS, a long-range tactical missile system, reported the WSJ. However, according to European and US officials, ...

The IMF approves a decision to allocate $890M to Ukraine.

The IMF approves a decision to allocate $890M to Ukraine. The IMF approved the decision to allocate another tranche to Ukraine within the framework of the extended financing program in the amount of $890 million. “The Executive Board of the IMF complet...

The head of the British Ministry of Defense advocates Ukraine’s simplified accession to NATO.

The head of the British Ministry of Defense advocates Ukraine’s simplified accession to NATO. British Defense Minister Ben Wallace believes that Ukraine should be able to “skip” the NATO Membership Action Plan on its way to joining the Alliance, reported SKY News. “I think we...

Estonia: Ukraine must fulfill 100% of the criteria for the start of EU membership negotiations.

Estonia: Ukraine must fulfill 100% of the criteria for the start of EU membership negotiations. The head of the Estonia’s government, Kaja Kallas, said that Ukraine will not receive “any discounts” on the way to the EU and must fulfill all the criteria for the start of accession nego...

Macron: NATO should shape the perspective of Ukraine’s accession.

Macron: NATO should shape the perspective of Ukraine’s accession. On Wednesday, June 28, French President Emmanuel Macron stated the need for the Vilnius NATO summit to form a concrete path to Ukraine’s membership in the Alliance. “We will have to determ...

Thursday, June 29

Zelenskyy welcomes the presidents of Poland and Lithuania to Kyiv.

Zelenskyy welcomes the presidents of Poland and Lithuania to Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed security issues with the Presidents of Poland, Andrzej Duda, and Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda, including the military actions at the front, preparations for the N...

Poland agrees to cancel the agricultural embargo of Ukraine.

Poland agrees to cancel the agricultural embargo of Ukraine. The President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, said during his visit to Kyiv that he believes that Ukraine and the EU should restore regular trade without restrictions, which were introduced earlier this year...

Ukraine has successfully fulfilled all three prerequisites for joining NATO.

Ukraine has successfully fulfilled all three prerequisites for joining NATO. Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said that Ukraine expects to receive guarantees that it will be invited to join the Alliance after the end of the war with Russia at the July NATO summit in Vilnius, ...

The European Act on joint ammunition procurement will be adopted at the beginning of July.

The European Act on joint ammunition procurement will be adopted at the beginning of July. The Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP), designed to increase the capabilities of the European defense industry to replenish EU arsenals and to continue the supply of artillery ammunition t...

Reznikov: Ukraine’s main army reserves have not been used in the counteroffensive.

Reznikov: Ukraine’s main army reserves have not been used in the counteroffensive. According to Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov, these reserves include most brigades recently trained in Western countries and equipped with modern NATO tanks and armored vehicles. He added the lib...

Wednesday, June 28

Only a few countries have taken a cautious position regarding Ukraine’s accession to NATO.

Only a few countries have taken a cautious position regarding Ukraine’s accession to NATO. The Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olha Stefanishyna, stated that “a small number” of countries are not ready to give Ukraine more specific promises than...

Hungary continues to oppose grain export from Ukraine and its membership in the EU.

Hungary continues to oppose grain export from Ukraine and its membership in the EU. The Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, is concerned about the accelerated pace of Ukraine’s EU membership process and the possible lifting of the Ukrainian grain export ban by the EU after...

The ECB urges banks to quicken their exit from the Russian Market.

The ECB urges banks to quicken their exit from the Russian Market. The European Central Bank is pushing lenders from the region that still have operations in Russia to accelerate plans to shrink or exit units in the market after President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale ...

Ukraine has already received $22B from the World Bank and donor countries.

Ukraine has already received $22B from the World Bank and donor countries. Before the start of the full-scale war the World Bank mobilized $34B to support Ukraine, over $22B of which Kyiv has already received. This was discussed during a working visit to Washington by the Mi...

Tuesday, June 27

The US will announce a new $500M aid package for Ukraine.

The US will announce a new $500M aid package for Ukraine. The United States plans to announce a new military aid package for Ukraine worth up to $500M on Tuesday, signaling the US’ determination to help Ukraine as Moscow deals with an attempted mutiny by the...

The EU has increased the upper weapon financing limit for Ukraine.

The EU has increased the upper weapon financing limit for Ukraine. The Council of the EU passed a decision to increase by €3.5B the upper limit of financing for the European Peace Fund, from which compensation is paid to countries for weapons transferred to Ukraine, ...

Germany opposes the plan to transfer profits from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.

Germany opposes the plan to transfer profits from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. Germany has spoken out against the European Commission’s plan to give Ukraine profits from frozen Russian assets, saying the hasty move could cause legal or financial risks. According to the FT,...

Monday, June 26

The EU has adopted the eleventh package of sanctions against Russia in response to the war against Ukraine.

The EU has adopted the eleventh package of sanctions against Russia in response to the war against Ukraine. According to the new sanctions package, the EU will expand cooperation with third countries to prevent sanctions circumvention. If the efforts do not achieve the desired result, the European Council m...

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