Ukraine is just one step away from becoming a member of the European Union (EU)! Talks on the issue have intensified since influential EU leaders visited Kiev. The country will first be nominated for the alliance process. Then some conditions have to be fulfilled. If these are satisfactory, the long dream of this war-torn state will be fulfilled. EU President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday that Ukraine should be welcomed as a member of the alliance after French President Emmanuel Macho, German Chancellor Olaf Schultz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi gave a positive vote.
There is a meeting of the European Union next week. There will be a decision on whether to accept Ukraine as a member candidate. However, before that, the EU leaders will discuss one point yesterday. The member countries will give their opinion in this regard. However, despite Ukraine’s bid to join the EU the fastest in history, the country may have to wait another year or a decade to become a full member.
German Chancellor Schultz says Ukraine is part of the European family. Berlin will provide all kinds of assistance, including arms, as long as the country needs it. Makho also spoke strongly in support of Kiev. Expressing gratitude for their assurance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kiev was ready to work together to become a member of the EU alliance.
Meanwhile, the West has been imposing blockades and sanctions on Russia since the February 24 invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin will speak on the impact of the move on the Russian economy. However, in response to the sanctions, Moscow is using energy as a “weapon” against Europe. Gazprom, the country’s natural gas exporter, has cut off supplies to one country after another, hurting Europe. European leaders have strongly condemned the move. Yesterday, the Italian prime minister said Russia was using wheat and fuel for political purposes.
Ukraine hits a boat carrying Russian troops. The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a police recruiting center at Odisha. However, the exact number of casualties was not known. Meanwhile, Russian troops attacked a residential area in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykoleev. Two were killed and at least 20 were injured. The Russian Defense Ministry says 2,000 mercenaries have been killed so far in the ongoing conflict. The United Kingdom, Poland and Romania sent about 8,000 mercenaries and weapons experts to fight Russia, the statement said. About 2,000 of them escaped and 2,000 were killed.
Despite taking control of several areas in Ukraine, Russia has in fact been “strategically defeated” in the war. Tony Radakin, head of the UK’s defense staff, said the country was currently losing large numbers of troops and weapons. He says Russia will lose a quarter of what it gains from Ukraine. Putin has lost a lot of power and is trying to gain little. This is his ‘terrible’ mistake. He is actually strengthening the Western military alliance NATO.
Petro Andreushenko, an adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, said the Russian-occupied city was in a “medieval” state. 1,300 lives have already been lost, including 72 children. Residents are suffering from various crises; Only two to three percent of households have water supply. Others are living inhuman lives. They are using dirty water from the road or nearby bill to wash their clothes. This can lead to serious health problems. A few days ago, the World Health Organization warned that there could be an outbreak of cholera.
Meanwhile, a Russian court has sentenced a former US diplomat to 14 years in prison for his alleged involvement in drug trafficking. He was reportedly involved in cannabis smuggling.