Ukrainian soldiers in Bakhmut, in the pro-Russian breakaway region of Donetsk, a few days ago. Photo: REUTERS
The European Union (EU) announced on Friday a new package of military aid to Ukraine and the G7 has pledged to support kyiv “until victory” against Russia’s aggression.
The offensive launched by Moscow on February 24 against the former Soviet republic brings new alignments to the region, where Sweden and Finland are ready to join NATO, as well as fear of destabilization in separatist areas pro-Russian from other countries, such as Moldova and Georgia.
At a meeting in Germany of the seven richest countries on the planet (G7), the EU announced € 500 million (about $ 520 million) in military support supplement to Ukraine, which increases the total contribution of the block to 2,000 million euros.
The recipe is “clear”, says the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell. “More of the same” is needed: more economic sanctions against Russia, more support for kyiv and “continue to work to isolate Russia”.
The G7 chancellors, beyond Ukraine and Moldova, this Friday in Wangels, in northern Germany. Photo: AFP
France has expressed united support for Ukraine from the club of advanced economic powers consisting of the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Japan.
“We will continue to permanently support Ukraine’s fight for its sovereignty, until victory,” said France’s head of diplomacy, Jean-Yves Le Drian.
And the UK has promoted sending “more weapons” to Ukraine.
revenge of Moscow
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the EU of being an “aggressive and militant” actor in the conflict in Ukraine, following the “path of NATO.”
G7 ministers on Saturday will receive their counterparts Dmytro Kuleba, from Ukraine, and Nicu Popescu, from Moldova, another former Soviet republic that fears the entry of Moscow troops into its breakaway region of Transnistria.
The advance of Russian troops in Ukraine, this Friday. /AFP
The invasion of Ukraine led to a rapprochement of Finland and Sweden into NATO. Despite warnings from Moscow, Helsinki will formally submit its application for membership on Sunday and Stockholm is expected to follow suit.
The subsidiary of Russian state group InterRAO, based in Helsinki, announced on Friday that will cut off power transmission to Finland from Saturday, requesting payment problems.
But the Finnish power grid operator claims to be able to do without importing electricity into Russia.
Turkey, however, has threatened to block Finland and Sweden’s access to the transatlantic military alliance, for hosting on its territory refugees from Kurdish groups opposed to Ankara.
Cruelty
Russia faces a series of accusations for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
U.S. television networks CNN and Britain’s BBC broadcast CCTV footage on Thursday that they say shows two unarmed Ukrainian civilians being shot from behind by Russian soldiers near kyiv on March 16th.
That video adds to eyewitness reports of atrocities committed by Russian troops.
The Kharkov region (east) prosecutor’s office and witnesses the AFP consulted accused Russian forces of firing on a house from a tank on March 27, killing several people.
The first trial for war crimes will open on May 18 since the beginning of the invasion, against a young Russian soldier suspected of killing a 62 -year -old man.
A damaged Russian tank in a town near Kharkiv in Ukraine on Friday. Photo: EFE
The UN Human Rights Council on Thursday approved to investigate the alleged atrocities by Russian troops, which are also the subject of investigations by the International Criminal Court and the Ukrainian justice system.
The US ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Michael Carpenter, accused Russia of deporting “tens of thousands” of Ukrainians “to Russia or to Russian-controlled territories.”
Ukrainian authorities put the number of Moscow deportees at 1.2 million.
six million refugees
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of people forced to flee Ukraine since the beginning of the war has exceeded six million, although the flow has slowed in recent weeks.
About 1.56 million have returned, temporarily or to live in areas where Russia has retreated, according to border guards.
Furthermore, according to the UN, more than eight million are internally displaced in Ukraine.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has asked his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu for an “immediate” ceasefire in Ukraine, the Pentagon said.
Source: AFP
CB
Source: Clarin
