Russians in Ukraine: The Ongoing Conflict
Vladimir Zelenskyi, the Ukrainian President, expressed hope recently, just a week before EU accession negotiations potential decision. He mentioned that Ukraine aims to conclude final decisions in parliament that would meet all the prerequisites. Zelensky believes that the EU will also fulfill its promises to Ukraine . However, the EU states are split. A substantial majority of EU states intend to make a decision at a summit meeting on December 14 and 15, likely commencing accession negotiations for Ukraine. Nevertheless, the question remains if this will indeed occur.
A decision would depend on no EU member state vetoing it. Regarding veto power, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has threatened to halt the proceedings for several reasons, primarily because Ukraine has not yet met all required reforms. Some diplomats believe Orban's threats are aimed at increase pressure to secure frozen EU funding for his county .
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the economic benefits of providing aid to Ukraine, stating that 90% of the security assistance provided has been spent in the USA, creating jobs and growth .
Russian cyber attacks on Britain remain a concern. The British government claims that the Russian secret service FSB has attempted to interfere in British politics by targeting politicians, journalists, and non-governmental organizations.
During his visit to Moscow, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi accused Israel of bombing the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip while discussing potential bilateral cooperation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ebrahim Raisi also spoke out in favor of expanding bilateral cooperation, emphasizing the energy sector and major infrastructure projects .
The Ukrainian government suspects that around 28,000 Ukrainian civilians are captive in Russian territories, including approximately 2,000 over the age of 65. However, the report's basis is not clear .
In conclusion, the situation in Ukraine continues to be a complex and contentious issue. The EU's stance on Ukraine's membership negotiations, the international community's response to Russian cyber attacks, and Iran's relationship with Russia are just a few factors shaping this ongoing conflict.
Related articles
- Denys Gushulanov, "Ukraine's EU accession has no autobahn, it's a winding mountain road," Kyiv Post, .
- Oliver Schlüter and Sebastian Siebert (2025), "The Road to a Free Trade Agreement between Iran and the RUEA: Eurasian Economic Union (EEU)," In: Handbook of Energy Law and Regulation, E.O.W. Nijman and V. Sadeghi (eds.), Edward Elgar Publishing.
Enrichment Data:
- The current status of EU accession negotiations for Ukraine is complex and influenced by various factors, including objections from Hungary and the political situation in the US Congress
- Ukraine aims to finalize all required conditions prior to a parliamentary decision; the EU is prepared to negotiate the official start of accession negotiations for Ukraine at a summit meeting in December, although a final decision is still uncertain due to objections from EU member states
- Tony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, has emphasized the economic benefits of providing aid to Ukraine, which has already resulted in significant business and job creation in the United States, as defense assistance expenditures have supported US manufacturers
- The UK government has accused Russia of attempting to interfere in British politics with cyber attacks on politicians, journalists, and non-governmental organizations
- British authorities have also identified ongoing attacks on MPs from all parties since at least 2015; while some attacks have resulted in documents being leaked to the public, attempts to interfere in UK politics and democracy have thus far been unsuccessful
- During his visit to Moscow, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi accused Israel of bombing the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip and called for the attacks to stop, while discussing potential bilateral cooperation with Russian President Vladimir Putin
- Iran is a major weapons supplier for Russia in the Ukraine conflict and is expected to become an even closer partner through a free trade agreement between the Russian-dominated Eurasian Free Trade Area and Iran, as well as being included in the Brics group of important emerging economies and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
- The Ukrainian government suspects that around 28,000 civilians are in Russian captivity, including approximately 2,000 over the age of 65, but the report's basis is not clear.
