2023-10-02 10:31:38
At the start of the EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Kiev, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock reiterated her call for a “winter protection umbrella” for Ukraine. This includes expanding air defense, supplying electricity generators and strengthening the overall energy supply.
“We saw last winter how brutally the Russian president is waging this war by deliberately attacking power plants,” said the Green Party politician in Kiev. Vladimir Putin is betting that the water supply will collapse at temperatures of 20 degrees below freezing. “We have to prevent this as much as possible with everything we have.” Germany has already massively supported Ukraine with air defense systems such as Iris-T and Patriot.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her speech in Kiev
Source: AFP/SERGEI SUPINSKY
Baerbock also reiterated the EU’s promise to admit Ukraine into the community of states with its current 27 members at an as yet undetermined date. “The future of Ukraine lies in the European Union, in this community of freedom. And it will soon extend from Lisbon to Luhansk.” Ukraine has been a candidate for EU membership since June 2022. However, the negotiations regarding admission can take several years and are conducted with an open mind, so they do not guarantee admission.
Baerbock arrived in Kiev on Monday morning together with other EU foreign ministers. Since Russia’s attack on Ukraine, never before has such a large group of high-ranking foreign politicians come to Kiev. “With this Foreign Council of EU Foreign Ministers, we are bringing the European Union to where the heart of Europe currently beats strongest,” emphasized Baerbock.
All developments in the live ticker:
11:00 a.m. – Company plans trains between Hanover and the Ukrainian border
Traveling by train between Russia-attacked Ukraine and Germany might soon become easier. The Czech transport company Regiojet is planning a new direct rail connection between the Polish-Ukrainian border town of Przemysl and Hanover. This was confirmed by a company spokeswoman in Brno, Czech Republic. An application for open access to the rail network has been submitted to the Polish railway authority UTK and is waiting for a decision.
Regiojet has long been offering a daily rail connection between Prague and Przemysl, which connects to trains to, among others, the Ukrainian cities of Kiev, Lviv and Kharkiv. The company also wants to run trains between Prague and Chop in the future. Chop is located in the far west of Ukraine in the border triangle with Hungary and Slovakia and is an important railway junction. According to information, negotiations are also underway with the Ukrainian Railways.
9:30 a.m. – The current situation
The current situation in Ukraine
Source: Infographic WELT
9:22 a.m. – Institute sees possible danger to Ukraine from Wagner units
Western military experts see a possible new threat to Ukraine in a revival of the Russian Wagner private army under the control of the power apparatus in Moscow. Wagner, as a united and large formation with military equipment under the control of the Russian National Guard or the Ministry of Defense, might become a danger to Kiev, according to an analysis published by the US Institute for War Studies (ISW). This would mean correcting earlier assessments that the army was not a threat following the death of its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash in August.
The ISW experts referred to sources close to Wagner, according to which Prigozhin’s son Pavel might also take over leadership of the units. Accordingly, Pavel Prigozhin should negotiate with the National Guard, which is subordinate to the presidential administration and has its own combat technology. Nevertheless, weapons, ammunition and logistics would have to be provided by the Ministry of Defense, it said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the former Wagner official and co-founder of the army, Andrei Troschev, to the Kremlin last week and commissioned him to form volunteer units. Putin had also emphasized that the units should primarily be used in the war once morest Ukraine. Under Prigozhin, the army repeatedly conquered areas in the neighboring country, including the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.
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09:04 a.m. EU foreign ministers arrived in Kiev for a historic meeting
To support Ukraine, the foreign ministers of the EU states traveled to Kiev for a historic meeting. It is the first time that there has been such a meeting of representatives of all 27 EU states outside the EU, said EU Foreign Affairs Representative Josep Borrell.
Since Russia invaded the neighboring country in February 2022, never before has such a large group of high-ranking foreign politicians come to Kiev. This is Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s second visit to Ukraine in just a few weeks.
As was usual during the Russian war of aggression, the trip was not announced in advance for security reasons.
Volodymyr Zelenskyj welcomes the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Kiev
Source: dpa/–
As a topic for the EU meeting, Borrell mentioned his proposal to make longer-term financing commitments for military aid to Ukraine and to use EU money to support the delivery of modern fighter jets and missiles. He wants to mobilize five billion euros annually from 2024 to the end of 2027. But a decision is not expected in Kiev, the Spaniard said on Sunday. Such informal ministerial meetings are regarding political discussions.
European support is also important at a time when US aid funding is in limbo because of a budget dispute in Washington.
The meeting is also likely to focus on Ukraine’s EU accession prospects. The country has been officially a candidate for membership since June 2022. However, the 27 EU states still have to decide unanimously regarding whether to start negotiations. There should be a positive vote if Ukraine has met certain requirements. This includes a stronger fight once morest corruption.
08:55 a.m. – Russian naval aviation appears to be increasing in importance
According to British assessments, Russian naval aviation is becoming increasingly important in the war once morest Ukraine. Russia is also using naval air power in an attempt to control the northwest of the Black Sea in the face of Ukrainian attacks on the Russian navy, the British Ministry of Defense said on Monday.
The main task is probably the early identification of drone boats with which Ukraine has repeatedly attacked Russian ships. For this purpose, the naval aviators primarily used amphibious aircraft of the Be-12 Chaika type (NATO code: Mail). Attacks would be carried out with Sukhoi Su-24 bombers, including one most recently on the strategically important Snake Island in the west of the Black Sea.
8:00 a.m. – US government assures Ukraine of further military aid
According to Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, the US government has assured Ukraine of further military aid despite the budget dispute in Washington. Umerow writes on
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