The first multiple rocket launchers have arrived in Ukraine. EU candidate status for Ukraine is the main topic of Thursday’s EU summit. And: The Kremlin calls Germany’s accusation in the dispute over gas supplies “strange”. All voices and developments on the Ukraine war in the ticker.
5 p.m.: The Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushenko has offered Germany the delivery of nuclear power. Since March 16, Ukraine has synchronized its energy grid with the Association of European Transmission System Operators; “This means that Ukraine can become an outsourcer of electricity for Germany,” wrote Galuschenko in a guest article for Wirtschaftswoche. This creates “a kind of insurance cushion in times of weather-related declining generation from solar and wind power plants”.
Germany and Ukraine could benefit from the different time and climate zones. The time difference between Kyiv and Berlin is one hour, which means that the power consumption peaks of the two countries would also differ by one hour, Galushenko wrote. This allows Germany to “buy Ukrainian electricity cheaper when demand for it falls or there is a significant surplus of green generation.” Ukraine, in turn, could buy German wind energy in times of surplus.
Turning away from Russian energy is “a gigantic challenge” for Germany and it is becoming “more and more urgent”, wrote the minister in the “Wirtschaftswoche”. “But Ukraine can support Germany in this Herculean task.” According to the minister, nuclear energy accounts for more than 50 percent of the carbon-free energy production in Ukraine.
4:06 p.m .: The federal government wants to give Ukraine more self-propelled howitzers to ward off the Russian attack. Talks are being held with the Netherlands and another European partner, as the German Press Agency learned on Friday from Defense Ministry circles in Berlin.
So far Ukraine has received seven Panzerhaubitze 2000 units from Germany and five of the weapon systems from the Netherlands. From Kyiv it was stated that a complete Ukrainian artillery battalion could be equipped with a total of 18 howitzers – i.e. six additional models. In Berlin there is a firm will to fulfill the request if partners also deliver, so that Germany would deliver three or just two more weapon systems, the dpa was told.
1:43 p.m .: The Kremlin makes it a condition for a possible EU accession of Ukraine and Moldova that their relations with Russia do not deteriorate further. The granting of candidate status to the two ex-Soviet republics is initially an “internal European matter,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, according to the Interfax news agency. “It is very important for us that these processes do not create any more problems for us or for relations with the countries mentioned.”
In addition, it must be ensured that relations between Russia and the European Union do not deteriorate further as Ukraine and Moldova approach the EU, said Peskov. “They’re pretty spoiled as it is.”
The Kremlin spokesman also criticized the Moldovan leadership in this context: they were trying to justify candidate status by taking measures against Russia. “It seems to you that the more anti-Russian they are, the more the Europeans should like them,” said Peskov.
1.35 p.m .: After receiving EU candidate status, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj spoke of a turning point for his country. “Ukraine is not a bridge, not a cushion between the West and Russia, not a buffer between Europe and Asia, not a sphere of influence, not a gray zone, not a transit country,” said the 44-year-old leader in a video address released on Friday. Ukraine is a “future equal partner for at least 27 EU countries.” Ukraine is no longer a “third country” but will become a member of the European Union.
In the same video, Parliament leader Ruslan Stefanchuk said that this decision would change history. The 46-year-old said: “We cannot change the geography. Russia will continue to be our neighbor.” But in this case, history defeated geography.
Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal then emphasized the new prospects for Ukraine through its status as a candidate for accession: Kyiv now has “access to new financial aid programs from the EU”. The 46-year-old raised hopes for new investments and jobs. “From now on, our state will not only take over the European experience, but will also be able to influence the industrial policy of the European Union,” he underlined. The integration process of Ukraine is irreversible.
10.53 a.m .: Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) has accused Russia of “deliberately using hunger in the world as a weapon of war”. Russia “takes the whole world hostage,” Baerbock said on Friday before the start of an international nutrition conference in Berlin. 345 million people worldwide are currently threatened by food shortages, the hunger crisis is building “like a life-threatening wave before us”. But it was Russia’s war that “made a tsunami out of this wave”.
Baerbock criticized that Russia was trying to “put the blame for the exploding food prices on others”, but that was “fake news”. Russia blockade ports and shell granaries; there are also no sanctions against Russian grain exports.
The conference in Berlin is about showing solidarity with Ukraine and with the people in the Global South who are suffering from the Russian war, Baerbock said. “We have to offer solutions.” The aim is to “accelerate” food exports from Ukraine, for example by expanding land routes and inland waterways. It is also about urgently increasing emergency aid for people suffering from hunger. But the conference is not a donor conference, it’s not just about money.
“Thinking beyond the day” is also on the agenda, Baerbock said: Poorer countries would have to better arm themselves against crises. It’s about “getting this tsunami under control somehow”.
Friday, June 24, 4:41 a.m .: Warnings are coming from Ukraine against a hasty return of the approximately five million war refugees who have been admitted to Europe. “There are two essential prerequisites: We have to find ways and means to rebuild at least part of the destroyed infrastructure. And where they are going, a functioning anti-missile defense system is needed – just as it more or less exists for Kyiv now,” said Olena Sotnyk, adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna, after talks in Berlin.
Olena Haluschka, board member of the Ukrainian organization Anticorruption Action Centersei, named the clearing of mines and hidden booby traps in areas that the Ukrainian side had recaptured from the Russian army as a further prerequisite. At their meetings with German politicians, the two women reported that the main thing they had urged was a rapid delivery of more weapons. They described the fact that the anti-tank howitzers promised by Germany had now arrived at the front as a “turning point”.
9:15 p.m .: Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) congratulated Ukraine and Moldova on their inclusion in the group of EU accession candidates. “Yes 27 times!” Scholz wrote on Twitter on Thursday. “The European Council welcomes two new candidate countries to join the EU. To good cooperation in the European family!”
The heads of state and government in Brussels had previously voted unanimously in favor of declaring the two countries to be candidate countries. Scholz had promoted it days before the decision was made during a visit to Kyiv.
8:26 p.m .: The European Union has officially included Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia, among the candidate countries. In addition, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and his colleagues decided at an EU summit on Thursday to also grant Moldova the status of a candidate country, as Council President Charles Michel announced. The Belgian spoke of a “historic moment”. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen commented: “Today is a good day for Europe.”
With this step, the EU recognizes the efforts of the two countries to gain accession to the EU and wants to encourage them to continue on this path with determination. In view of the Russian war against his country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in particular has repeatedly called for such a message from the EU – also to show the more than 40 million citizens of his country that the fight for freedom and democracy is worthwhile.
Most important questions and answers – Ukraine is now officially a candidate for EU membership – but what does that even mean?
At the start of the EU summit in Brussels, Chancellor Scholz once again urged Ukraine to become a candidate country. The SPD politician spoke of a “historic” meeting of the heads of state and government, but also called for reforms in the European Union to enable the admission of new members. The EU must make itself “enlargeable”, he said. This also includes lifting the principle of unanimity for some decisions.
Candidate status is not a guarantee of speedy admission to the EU. According to a recommendation by the EU Commission, EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova should only begin once they have fulfilled further reform requirements. It is about judicial reforms and a stronger fight against corruption.
8:01 p.m .: The President of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, believes that consumer prices for gas can triple. “If you extrapolate it, it depends a lot on how you heat, how your building is constructed. But the previous gas bill can triple,” said Müller on Thursday the broadcasters RTL / ntv.
Since the throttling of Russian gas supplies last week, the price level has risen again by 50 percent. “Many gas importers say they would like to pass this on,” said Müller. However, the price adjustment clause would have to be activated for this. Whether that happens depends very much on how the gas flows develop. “We know that a maintenance window is looming on July 11th. Nord Stream 1 will be shut down completely and we don’t know what will happen after that.”
6:28 p.m .: The world’s largest sporting goods company Nike wants to withdraw completely from Russia in view of the ongoing war against Ukraine. “Nike has made the decision to exit the Russian market,” a spokesman said on Thursday. The priority now is to support local workers while operations are responsibly shut down over the coming months. The Adidas competitor – like many other Western companies – had already significantly restricted its business in Russia after the invasion of Ukraine. In the meantime, more and more companies want to turn their backs on Russia entirely.
6:15 p.m .: Four months after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the Kremlin insists on all of its demands with a view to possible future negotiations. “As for a peace plan, it is possible after Kyiv has met all the demands of the Russian side,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday, according to the Interfax agency.
Peskow did not name the demands in detail. “Ukraine knows them well,” he said simply. Moscow’s publicly expressed demands at the beginning of the war included recognizing the eastern Ukrainian separatist areas of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states and the annexed Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014 as Russian state territory.
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently formulated the recapture of Crimea and the areas occupied since the end of February as one of Kiev’s explicit goals.
Active negotiations on a peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv last took place in Istanbul at the end of March. Since then, both warring parties have only talked about partial solutions such as exchanging dead or prisoners of war – but not about ending the war. They blame each other for the pending negotiations.
5:54 p.m .: In the dispute over the reduction in Russian gas supplies, the Kremlin described Berlin’s accusation as “strange” that it was politically motivated. Russia will increase deliveries again as soon as the missing turbines have been delivered, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow on Thursday.
“If a turbine needs to be checked and you don’t use it again after the repair (…), everything is clear, there is no ambiguity,” said Peskow. Germany is “well informed about the maintenance cycles”, so it is ” really strange to call it political.” Russia remains a “reliable” supplier, the Kremlin spokesman assured.
According to Russian information, the Siemens group has not used turbines to compress gas again after they have been repaired. As a result, Russia was forced to cut back supplies through the Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline by around 60 percent. If a turbine needs to be checked and you don’t use it again after the repair (…), everything is clear, there is no ambiguity,” said Peskow. Germany is “well informed about the maintenance cycles”, so it is “really strange to call it political.” Russia remains a “reliable” supplier, the Kremlin spokesman assured.
According to Russian information, the Siemens group has not used turbines to compress gas again after they have been repaired. As a result, Russia was forced to cut back supplies through the Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline by around 60 percent.
4:25 p.m .: The EU candidate status for Ukraine is the main topic of the EU summit that started in Brussels on Thursday. It was a “historic” meeting, said Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) at the start. It is expected that the heads of state and government of the European Union will officially declare Ukraine and its neighbor Moldova as candidate countries. However, this does not set a date for admission as a full member.
The EU must also make itself “expandable”, said Scholz. “This will certainly also include more majority decisions in the European Councils,” affirmed the Chancellor. The introduction of majority voting would be a major step forward, which could also be done without a treaty change, he said.
However, smaller member states in particular are opposed to the EU states making more joint decisions based on the majority principle instead of unanimously. For the introduction of majority voting, however, a unanimous decision by the EU members is required.
3:08 p.m .: According to the government in Kyiv, the United States has now delivered the Himars multiple rocket launchers to support the Ukrainian armed forces. “Himars have arrived in Ukraine,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on Twitter on Thursday. He thanked his US colleague Lloyd Austin “for these powerful tools” and published photos of the rocket launchers.
The mobile machines can fire multiple precision-guided missiles simultaneously at targets up to 80 kilometers away. The US Army also has systems with a range of several hundred kilometers. US President Joe Biden said Himars would allow targets to be hit with greater precision on the battlefield in Ukraine, but would not encourage or enable the Ukrainian army to strike beyond its borders.
Resnikov announced on Tuesday that Germany had meanwhile delivered the Panzerhaubitze 2000. According to the Ukrainian embassy in Berlin, all seven howitzers promised by Germany arrived in Ukraine.
The Panzerhaubitze 2000 can shoot 30 to 40 kilometers depending on the ammunition used. Experts regard it as one of the most modern howitzers in the world and can fire up to ten shells per minute.
12:14 p.m .: The EU Parliament voted by a large majority to grant Ukraine and Moldova candidate status for accession to the EU. 529 MPs voted in favor, 45 against. A corresponding resolution has thus been adopted.
A decision by the heads of state and government is expected at the EU summit in Brussels.
Surf tip: European Union – EU Member States: Complete list and entry date
12:13 p.m.: In the face of the Russian blockade of grain exports from Ukraine, Turkey and Great Britain have pushed for a quick solution. “This grain crisis is urgent and it needs to be resolved within the next month. Otherwise, the consequences could be devastating,” British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told reporters in Ankara on Thursday after meeting her Turkish counterpart Mevlut Çavuşoğlu. Russia uses hunger as a weapon. Turkey and Britain worked closely together to get the grain out of Ukraine.
Cavusoglu said the issue needed to be resolved “as soon as possible,” but that some security-related hurdles still stood in the way. Turkey supports a UN plan for a control center in Istanbul to monitor the passage of ships in and out of a “safe zone” outside Ukrainian waters. According to information from UN security circles, there could be talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey next week – together with UN Secretary General António Guterres.
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