Update on the crisis in Russia and Ukraine, April 18th. Click here for the latest information from April 17th.
Ukraine responds to EU member state survey: official
Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy Director of the Presidential Office of Volodymyr Zelensky, said he answered the questionnaire, which is the starting point for the European Union to decide to join Kyiv.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen handed a questionnaire to Zelensky during his visit to Kieu on April 8. UkraineBidding to become the next EU member state RussiaInvasion of the country.
“Today I can say that the document was completed by the Ukrainian side,” Zhovkva told Ukrainian public broadcasters on Sunday night.
European Commission UkraineCompliance with the required membership standards, he added.
“We expect the recommendations to be … positive, and the ball will be on the side of EU member states.”
Zhovkva added it Ukraine During the upcoming meeting of the European Council, we plan to obtain the status of candidate countries for EU membership in June.
The European Council will meet from June 23rd to 24th, according to the Council’s schedule on its website.
“Then we need to start the accession negotiations, and if we do those discussions, we can already talk. UkraineIs an EU member state, “said Zhovkva.
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Zelenskyy: Army imposes “intentional terrorism”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian troops in southern Ukraine were torturing and kidnapping and called on Sunday to respond to the world.
“The torture chamber is built there,” Zelensky said in an evening speech to the country. “They kidnap local government representatives and those who appear to be in the community.”
Zelenskyy said humanitarian aid was stolen, causing famine.
In the occupied territories of the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions, he said, Russians have created separatist states and introduced the Russian currency, the ruble.
Intensified bombardment by Russia in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, killed 18 people and injured 106 in the last four days alone, according to Zelensky.
“This is nothing more than a deliberate horror: mortars, artillery against ordinary residential areas, artillery against ordinary civilians,” he said.
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Russia calls for increased NATO military activity in Arctic concerns and warns of “unintended incidents”: TASS
Russia is concerned about increased NATO military activity in the Arctic and is at risk of “unintended incidents” in the region, TASS news agency said on Sunday, Russian ambassador Nikolai Korchunov. rice field.
In March, Finland and Sweden, which are considering joining the US-led military NATO alliance, conducted a joint NATO military exercise. The exercises have been planned for a long time, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 added fierceness to the wargame. Moscow describes its actions in Ukraine as a “special military operation.”
“The recent increase in NATO activity in the Arctic is a source of concern. Another major military exercise of the alliance was recently held in northern Norway. In our view, this is for regional security. I haven’t contributed, “Korchunov said.
According to Korchunov, such activities increase the risk of “unintended incidents” and, in addition to security risks, can also cause serious damage to Arctic ecosystems.
He did not identify the type of incident he may be referring to.
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Ukraine has demanded $ 50 billion from the G7 to make up for its budget deficit, officials say
Ukraine is asking G7 countries for $ 50 billion in financial support and is considering issuing 0% coupons to cover the war-related budget deficit over the next six months, President’s economic adviser Oleh Ustenko said. Said on Sunday.
Speaking on national television, Ustenko said these options were being actively discussed.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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