Ukraine Seeks EU Green Light in Accession Talks: Zelenskyy Hopeful
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pushed for the initiation of EU accession talks in a call with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni ahead of the EU summit. Zelenskyy posted on his Telegram channel, "I expect that the EU leaders will acknowledge Ukraine's efforts and take this historical step." In conversations with Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, and Donald Tusk, the new Polish Prime Minister, Zelenskyy expressed optimism for an invitation to begin talks.
EU Summit Discusses Ukraine's Accession Bid
Ukraine's bid for EU membership is a major focus of the two-day EU summit commencing on Thursday. Amidst Russian aggression, EU accession is vital for Kiev. While the European Union shows unity and strength, some member states remain reluctant to commence accession negotiations with Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has repeatedly voiced opposition to the negotiations due to Ukraine's unfulfilled reform requirements.
Zelenskyy's Telegram Post and Phone Calls
On Wednesday, Zelenskyy published a post on his X platform (formerly Twitter) that read, "I spoke to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the new Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, on the phone. I discussed the expected results for Ukraine at the summit, which must demonstrate the EU's unwavering support and unity. Both are necessary to strengthen Ukraine's resilience against Russian aggression and on the path to EU membership."
Russian Drone Attacks Repelled
According to Russia's Defense Ministry, it successfully repelled nine Ukrainian drone attacks on Thursday night over the Moscow and Kaluga regions. This follows a pattern of claims of repelling drone attacks, which often don't correspond with the reported damage. Moscow has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine for 21 months, resulting in heavy casualties and damage.
Marjinka Capture Denied by Ukraine
Ukrainian military commander Olexandr Tarnavskyi denied Russian military bloggers' claims of capturing Marjinka in the Donetsk region. He reported that the assault attempts are ongoing and could not be independently verified. Marjinka is one of the focal points in the Russian offensive in the Donbass region, enduring 19 air strikes within two days.
Kyivstar Restores Part of Network
Ukrainian mobile phone provider Kyivstar apparently restored some of its network services on Wednesday, following a 30-hour outage due to a hacker attack. The restored services primarily affect Kiev and other major cities. Kyivstar claims over 24 million subscribers.
Ukraine Awaits EU's Green Light
At the EU summit, Ukraine awaits approval to commence accession negotiations. Zelenskyy is optimistic about EU leaders' recognition of its efforts and progress. However, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has expressed opposition due to Ukraine's reform requirements.
Enrichment Insights
The EU leaders are expected to demonstrate their unwavering support for Ukraine, strengthening its resilience against Russian aggression and boosting Ukraine's chances of EU membership. The EU's support for Ukraine consists of military, financial, and humanitarian aid with over EUR 134 billion in assistance since the war started. The EU has also imposed 15 packages of sanctions against Russia and accelerated the delivery of air defense systems, ammunition, and training to Ukraine.
[1] European Union's continued support for Ukraine and financial assistance. [2] Advancements in EU's economic measures and sanctions against Russia. [3] Ukraine's ongoing efforts to fulfill reform requirements for EU accession negotiations. [4] The upcoming emergency summit in Paris to discuss ways to further strengthen Europe's support for Ukraine. [5] EU's cooperation and dialogue with Ukraine regarding its EU membership aspirations.
