Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that any alternative to Ukraine’s candidacy for European Union membership would be a “compromise” with Russia, in his response to the “European Political Organization” project proposed by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.
“We do not need alternatives to Ukraine’s candidacy for membership in the European Union, and we do not need such compromises,” Zelensky said at a press conference in Kyiv with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa.
“Because, honestly, there will be no settlements with Ukraine in relation to Europe, it will be another concession between Europe and Russia. I am absolutely sure of that. It is the influence and political and diplomatic pressure that Russian officials and lobbyists exert on whether or not a European country should support Ukraine.” .
French President Emmanuel Macron presented the “European Political Organization” project on May 9 before the European Parliament in Strasbourg (eastern France), in the midst of discussing the launch of the accession process for Ukraine, which has been under Russian attack since February 24.
But he made it clear that the mechanism of accession to the European Union presented by Kyiv, would take “decades” in parallel, proposing the creation of a “new European organization” to which Ukraine would join and might include Britain, which left the European Union in 2020, or Moldova.
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Volodymyr Zelensky
War in Ukraine | Russia has launched more than 2,000 missiles at Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion, says Volodymyr Zelensky | Vladimir Putin | Donbas | WORLD
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyassured that Russia He has already fired more than 2,000 missiles during the attack on his country, which he said represents a large part of his arsenal.
He pointed out that most missiles hit civilian infrastructure and had no strategic military benefit. In the last day, Russian missiles hit the cities of Mikolaiv and Dnipro, said Zelensky Wednesday night in his daily address to the nation.
MIRA: The bloody battle of Azovstal is over: Ukraine considers its mission in Mariupol accomplished
The president highlighted Russian statements on Wednesday regarding the deployment of new laser weapons in Ukrainenoting that it reflects Moscow’s desire to find an alternative to missiles.
A senior US defense official said Wednesday that Washington has seen nothing to substantiate Russian claims that it has used laser weapons in Ukraine. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to reveal the US military assessment.
MIRA: Russian soldier pleaded guilty in Ukraine’s first war crimes trial
Zelensky said that Ukraine is determined to restore its control over the cities of Kherson, Melitopol, Berdyansk, Enerhodar and Mariupol, which are currently occupied by Russian troops.
“All of our occupied communities and cities, under temporary occupation, should know that Ukraine To return to”, the president pointed out.
Published on : 18/05/2022 – 06:39Modified : 18/05/2022 – 08:42
Finland and Sweden formally submitted their application to join NATO on Wednesday. In Ukraine, the justice of the country begins its first trial for war crimes since the entry of troops from Moscow on its territory. A Russian soldier accused of shooting dead an unarmed 62-year-old civilian is to appear in kyiv. He faces life imprisonment. Follow our direct dedicated to the day of Wednesday, May 18.
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8:16 a.m .: Finland and Sweden submit their application for NATO membership
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg received the membership applications presented by the ambassadors of the two Nordic countries. Consultations are still ongoing between the Allies to lift Turkey’s opposition to the integration of Finland and Sweden into the Alliance.
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6:44 a.m.: Continuation of evacuations at the Azovstal factory
The “evacuation” operation of the last Ukrainian soldiers entrenched in the strategic city of Mariupol continues according to kyiv, which did not specify the number of soldiers entrenched in the old steelworks. Ukraine assured last week that more than 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers – including 600 wounded – were there.
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4 a.m.: First war crime trial in Ukraine, once morest a Russian soldier
Ukrainian justice begins Wednesday its first war crime trial since the entry of troops from Moscow on its territory, that of a Russian soldier accused of having killed an unarmed civilian.
The trial, which should soon be followed by several others, will be a test for the Ukrainian judicial system, as the International Criminal Court (ICC) deploys 42 investigators and experts to Ukraine.
Vadim Chichimarine, 21, will appear from 2 p.m. before the Solomiansky District Court in kyiv, where he will have to explain himself in the death of a 62-year-old man on February 28 in northeastern Ukraine. .
Charged with war crimes and premeditated murder, the soldier, originally from Irkutsk in Siberia, faces life imprisonment. “He understands the charges once morest him,” his lawyer, Viktor Ovsiannikov, told AFP, without revealing his defense strategy. According to the Ukrainian authorities, he is cooperating with the investigators and admits the facts, which took place four days following the start of the Russian invasion.
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12:45 a.m .: the European Commission will unveil an energy independence plan
According to Archyde.com, the European Commission will unveil a 210 billion euro plan on Wednesday to enable Europe to end its dependence on Russian fossil fuels by 2027 and accelerate its transition to green energy.
Russia supplies 40% of the gas and 27% of the oil that the EU imports, and the countries of the bloc are struggling to agree on sanctions for the latter.
Brussels will propose a three-pronged plan: importing more non-Russian gas, accelerating the deployment of renewable energy and stepping up energy-saving efforts, according to draft documents that might be modified before their publication.
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11:49 p.m .: Volodymyr Zelensky is invited to Cannes
“We need a new Chaplin who will prove that cinema is not silent” in the face of war: the Cannes Film Festival immediately gave a political tone to its 75th edition by offering a platform, from kyiv, to the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
The surprise appearance of the face of the Ukrainian president, in fatigues, on the screen of the Palais des Festivals, was followed by a long ovation by the gratin of world cinema, gathered for the opening ceremony of a festival which promised that the war would be “on everyone’s mind”.
With AFP and Archyde.com
Vladimir Putin Says Sweden and Finland Joining NATO Is Not a Threat, But May Cause Backlash | War Russia – Ukraine | WORLD
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Russia does not consider the decision Finland and of Sweden to adhere to the OTAN as a threat, but that Moscow will react if there is a deployment of military infrastructure.
The entrance in the OTAN from Sweden y Finland does not represent “a direct threat to us (…) but the expansion of military infrastructure to these territories will certainly generate a response from us“, he claimed Putin at a televised meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
MIRA: NATO is considering deploying troops in Sweden and Finland while the accession process lasts
This Moscow-led alliance brings together countries from the former Soviet Union and includes, in addition to Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
“This is a problem that is completely artificially created because it is done in the interest of the United States”said the Russian president, adding that the OTAN it has become “the foreign policy instrument of a single country”.
MIRA: Russia warns of possible deployment of NATO nuclear weapons in Finland and Sweden
Putin added that “all this exacerbates an international situation that was already difficult.”
Finland and Sweden are headed for a reversal of their non-alignment policy to join the OTANas a defense once morest fear of Russian aggression following Moscow sent troops to Ukraine on February 24.
Finland announced on Sunday its intention to join the OTAN and the ruling party in Sweden said it supported an accession, paving the way for a joint bid.