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LAST UPDATE | 3 Feb 2023
THE EUROPEAN UNION plans to unveil its 10th package of sanctions against Russia on 24 February to mark the anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The sanctions will target technology used by Russia’s war machine, among other things, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference.
The sanctions will take aim in particular at components used in the manufacturing of drones, she said, naming Iran as a key supplier of Russia.
Closing loopholes that the Kremlin uses to circumvent sanctions will also be a priority, according to Von der Leyen, who was on her fourth visit to the Ukrainian capital since the war began.
The exact measures in the next EU sanctions package must be agreed upon by the bloc’s 27 member countries — a process that can take weeks.
Top EU officials met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a show of support for the country as it battles to counter the Kremlin’s forces and strives to join the EU as well as Nato.
Back in Kyiv for the EU-#Ukraine Summit with @ZelenskyyUa @vonderleyen and @JosepBorrellF
— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) February 3, 2023
There will be no let up in our resolve.
We will also support you every step of the way on your journey to the EU. pic.twitter.com/3fnmajrtAZ
The last such summit was held in Kyiv in October 2021 a few months before the war started.
The highly symbolic visit is also the first EU political mission of its kind to a country at war.
The high-level meeting came as a 60-year-old man was killed and six others were wounded today after Russian missiles hit central Toretsk, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, the local prosecutor’s office said in a statement on social media.
Ukrainian authorities reported that at least six civilians were killed and 20 others were wounded over the previous 24 hours.
Among the dead were two brothers, ages 49 and 42, killed when Russian shelling destroyed an apartment building in the north-eastern Kharkiv region, Ukraine’s presidential office said. Their 70-year-old father was taken to hospital with injuries.
Also, six people were wounded and 18 apartment buildings, two hospitals and a school were damaged in a Russian attack in the eastern city of Kramatorsk yesterday, governor Pavlo Kyrylenko told Ukrainian TV.
Four people died when a Russian missile hit an apartment building in the city on Wednesday.
European officials were adamant about continuing to support Ukraine militarily and economically, but they did not provide any new details about Ukraine’s accession path to the EU.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s goal “is to start negotiations this year”.
However, the process will likely take years and require the adoption of far-reaching reforms, including a clampdown on endemic corruption as the country receives billions of dollars in aid.
Kyiv formally submitted its application last June.
Zelenskyy said progress had been made to further integrate Ukraine economically into the EU across several sectors, including agriculture, industry, energy and customs.
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No I definitely don’t think we need Ukraine in the EU now. They have to get their house in order first after this long war which will go on for many more months I’d imagine
@Jim Casey: Ukraine is a huge country with over 40 million people..if they join the EU will they band together with other Eastern European countries already in EU and others waiting to join and take over the EU !!!
@Barbara Coleman: like Poland?
@Barbara Coleman: could be true I suppose
@Barbara Coleman: EU has a rotating president. Please elaborate how do eastern European country’s plan to take over the EU ? I was under the impression they wanted to join the EU because of the benefits country’s get e.g passport free travel within eu borders no hard borders cheaper trade due to no duty and prob more.
@Barbara Coleman: Lol, they (plural) tried, and succeeded to a degree with Eurovision. It’ll never be the same again…pretty hyper. But just my opinion.
A very corrupt nation still in the process of weeding out the corrupt even in recent days with sacking of 15 officials! Alot of people are getting rich but very little chatter given the billions being sent in. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/01/24/europe/ukraine-anti-corruption-zelensky-intl/index.html
@icaniwont: hello, can I introduce you to Ireland?
@Jim Buckley Barrett: Ah that the same ireland that was recently recognised one of the least corrupt counties in the world ? Pleased to meet you
@Ciaran: According to our friends who meet annually up in Davos. Fair play to them.
@Russian Bot: Don’t let statistics and the truth hit you in the face. Just sweep them under the carpets, they aren’t convenient for your pro-russian anti-European agenda.
@Russian Bot: careful now , that tinfoil hat might slip off of your empty head ..
@Ciaran: maybe on the face of it but come on, you live here, the government, civil service are so corrupt….
Anyone find that 2million between fas and siptu?
@Jim Buckley Barrett: every country has a level of corruption, it is seemingly quite low here by comparison, no one is saying there is zero corruption here.
@icaniwont: Invaded by possibly the most murderous and corrupt regime imaginable. There, I finished your first sentence for you there piggy.
@Paul Whelan: I am neither pro (nor anti) Russia or EU. I am pro peace, for the sake of my fellow man. Wrap your head around that one! And regarding statistics, up to 78 percent of them are wrong. ;)
Thought Kiev was so dangerous people had to evacute to rest of Europe so why now is there high powered meeting with VIP’s going.on there ?
@Barbara Coleman: Google “Zelensky rolling credits for BlackRock, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs”. He explains it very well himself.
@Barbara Coleman: Thise attending these meetings are not out and about randomly roaming neighbourhoods in Keiv, they are in heavily defended locations with appropriate air defense coverage.
Ukraine shouldn’t be part of the EU. These people are walking us into a war in Europe without people’s consent. Time for a referendum in relation to the Ukraine situation and the direct military involvement of Europe.
@Rosa Lopez: Funny, I thought they were a country defending themselves what was deemed to be a superior aggressor. Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say Russia, the aggressor, is walking the EU into a war? It is your opinion Ukraine should surrender their country? And you want a referendum in Ireland on what exactly?
Ireland has 77,000 Ukrainian migrants and the UK has 156,000 Ukrainian migrants..
Northern Ireland has taken 1000 Ukrainian migrants..
Our politicians in Ireland have failed us.
@Roger Bond: and Germany around 1.2 million.
@Roger Bond: Good for us. So many of those women and children have at least some safety now. Less hate, more thinking please.
@Roger Bond: theyre refugees you gowl
@Rian Lynch: Gowl. Your favorite word. It also betrays you.
This is the last defense of the usd hegemony. Europe and Ukraine will lose in the battle for Eurasia.
So many people seem to have missed the point that joining the EU is a very long process that requires many reforms and adjustments before membership happens.
Ukraine probably has about a decade of preparation work before they join. This is about formally starting the balls rolling on that work.
@Steve O’Hara-Smith: You should know too well by now this is not the place for facts or rational thinking…
Even if, and it’s a very big if, Ukraine were to join the EU I can’t see this being much of a military deterrent to Russia. In the 90′s during the Balkans conflict the EU debated and did nothing until, eventually, the Americans stepped in.
The time isn’t right unfortunately for Ukraine to join the EU, especially while this war will potentially drag on for years, even if the air strikes on cities like Kyiv come to an end and the war becomes more of a scuffle along the frontlines, Crimea and Donbas will be constant flashpoints.
I say, give Ukraine access to the single market and customs Union, allow freedom of movement, which would enable the refugees to work in their host countries, thus easing the burden on states to accommodate them.
But in terms of membership, Ukraine isn’t ready yet, but work should be done to get them as close to membership as as they are ready for, under the reforms that the Ukrainian government has already implemented.
Zelig is a funny guy.
@Paul Kossoff: He has some good jokes, in fairness.
Sanctions worked so well the first time. BRICS is now taking over. Nobody trusts the west anymore, even its people. Sad because the freedoms we have/had were a prosperous time of wealth and innovation. Now it ends in war and separation.
@O’Brien: Sanctions have works very well up to now. Some people seem to miss the fact that the sanctions are a long game, not an instant result. Russia had a massive war chest going into this. That continues to be depleted. They no longer have access to components to replace hardware lost in Ukraine.
Keep supporting Ukr. And the refugees.
Watch mother russia disintegrate. What we are seeing is just a further break up of the USSR. Putin the wreckingball in chief will be 6ft under before he lets his grip slip.
I see all the bots are out today
An air strike on the Kremlin will end the war promptly.
That will show Putin.
Ukraine is winning
have your say