WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
EU-Ukraine wartime summit to deliver on some issues, disappoint on others
European Union leaders will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Friday, bringing the promise of new sanctions against Russia but disappointing Ukraine's hope for swift membership to the EU.
The head of the group's executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, arrived in Kyiv by train on Thursday, a symbolic journey to demonstrate support for Ukraine as the first anniversary of Russia's Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of its neighbour approaches.
Senior members of the EU's executive met their counterparts in the Ukrainian government, and von der Leyen and the chairman of the 27 EU national leaders, Charles Michel, will convene talks with Zelenskiy on Friday.
Zelenskiy called for more punitive measures against Russia by the European Union, but new sanctions the bloc is preparing for the anniversary are set to fall short of the Kyiv government's demands.
"Today ... we reached a very important mutual understanding," Zelenskiy said in his Thursday night video address. "That only together - a strong Ukraine and a strong European Union - can we defend the life that we value, and through our further integration, provide energy and motivation for our people to fight on regardless of obstacles and threats."
While the EU backs Ukraine and supports democratic and economic reforms there, it is not ready to admit a country at war and in any case, the process takes years. The last country to have joined the EU was Croatia in 2013, a decade after formally applying. Ukraine's neighbour Poland took 20 years until joining in 2004.
Ukraine applied to join shortly after the invasion and in June received formal candidate status from the EU.
The United States and its Western allies stepped up pledges to deliver more weapons to Ukraine in January.
ANTI-CORRUPTION DEMANDS
EU officials said talks included discussion of more arms and money for Ukraine as well as more access for Ukrainian products to the EU market, helping Kyiv cover energy needs, sanctions on Russia, prosecuting Russia's leadership for the war and extending an EU no-roaming mobile calls zone to Ukraine.
The German government has approved the delivery of Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine from industrial stocks and is in talks over purchasing back 15 Gepard tanks from Qatar to send there, Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported on Friday, citing government sources.
The EU has demanded more anti-corruption measures from Ukraine, which is perceived as having endemic state graft, saying it must build a credible track record over time.
To that end Zelenskiy this year already has announced investigations and dismissals of some officials, pointedly saying during the last week that the defence ministry needs to be clean.
Authorities were investigating senior military officials in two separate cases of suspected corruption, officials said on Thursday. Separately, a "criminal group" suspected of embezzling state funds by selling overpriced eggs and other foodstuffs to defence officials had been arrested, the State Bureau of Investigation said.
EASTERN BATTLEGROUND
The EU-Ukraine summit coincides with an intensification of Russian pressure on Ukrainian forces in eastern battlegrounds but also in the northeast and south. The refrain from Ukraine officials and military analysts is that the Russians are exploiting the main resource they have - superiority in manpower.
In Washington, CIA Director William Burns told an event at Georgetown University that battlefield developments in the next six months would be "absolutely crucial" and that Russian President Vladimir Putin was not serious about negotiations.
"The key is going to be on the battlefield in the next six months, it seems to us," Burns said. "Puncturing Putin's hubris; making clear that he's not only not going to be able to advance further in Ukraine, but as every month goes by he runs a greater and greater risk of losing the territory that he has illegally seized from Ukraine so far.
Russian forces made two strikes on the town of Kramatorsk in Donetsk region - where an apartment block was hit on Wednesday, killing three people, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in a statement on Thursday night.
"As a result, 13 two-storey buildings and three four-storey buildings were damaged as well as a children's clinic, a school and garages and vehicles. There were civilian casualties."
Ukrainian aircraft launched four air raids on areas of concentration of Russian troops and one command post, the statement said. One drone was destroyed, it said.
Reuters was not able to verify battlefield reports.
Ukraine and its Western allies have accused Russian forces of war crimes and targeting civilians, charges Russia rejects.
Putin ordered what he called a "special military operation" to protect Russian security. Ukraine and its allies accuse Moscow of an unprovoked war to grab territory.
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
Bulgaria, Hungary say arms supplies will not help resolve Ukrainian conflict
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and his Hungarian counterpart Katalin Novak share concerns over the developments in Ukraine, according to their press conference following talks in Sofia.
"We share a common concern in the context of the Ukrainian situation’s development," Radev said, "This conflict is escalating into a global economic clash, which now threatens all of Europe. It is turning into a war of attrition not only for the parties directly involved, but also for Europe, for our economy and social system. We are convinced that a solution to this conflict cannot be achieved by increasing arms supplies, only by showing the will to engage in dialogue and diplomacy. Tensions must be de-escalated and hostilities must cease."
"The crisis has been going on for a year now, and unfortunately, we do not yet see the conditions for peace in Ukraine. But we need to work so that the crisis and military pressure do not escalate further, so that the conditions for a sustainable peace can be created as soon as possible," the Hungarian head of state said.
The leaders discussed bilateral energy cooperation, agreed to work together on energy supplies and pointed to the importance of nuclear energy development.
Catalin Novak is also scheduled to meet with caretaker Prime Minister Galab Donev during her official visit to Bulgaria.
** Russian forces strike over 70 Ukrainian artillery units in past day
Russian forces struck over 70 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.
"Operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 78 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 105 areas," the spokesman said.
Russian combat aircraft and artillery delivered strikes on Ukrainian army units in the Kupyansk area, destroying over 25 enemy troops in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, army aviation aircraft and artillery of the western battlegroup delivered strikes on units of the Ukrainian army’s 92nd mechanized brigade near the settlement of Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated enemy manpower and military equipment, the general said.
"Over 25 Ukrainian servicemen, an armored combat vehicle and two motor vehicles were eliminated. In addition, in the area of the settlement of Volchansk in the Kharkov Region, three Ukrainian Grad multiple rocket launchers were hit," Konashenkov reported.
Russian forces inflicted damage on Ukrainian army units in the Krasny Liman area, eliminating over 100 enemy troops in the past day, he said.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, units of the battlegroup Center inflicted damage on the Ukrainian army’s 95th air assault brigade in the area of the settlement of Karmazinovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and also the Serebryansky forestry as a result of their artillery fire and successful offensive operations," the spokesman said.
As the general specified, "the enemy’s losses in those areas in the past 24 hours amounted to over 100 Ukrainian personnel, six armored combat vehicles and a D-30 howitzer."
Russian forces pushed forward in their offensive in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, units of the southern battlegroup continue their offensive operations. Army aviation, missile troops and artillery inflicted damage on the Ukrainian army’s 59th motorized infantry brigade and 3rd National Guard Brigade in areas near the settlements of Pervomaiskoye and Vasyukovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian forces eliminated as many as 50 Ukrainian troops, one tank, one armored personnel carrier, two pickup trucks, one Msta-B howitzer and one D-30 howitzer in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.
Russian forces destroyed over 65 Ukrainian troops in the Zaporozhye Region and near Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas, over 65 Ukrainian servicemen from the 110th territorial defense brigade in the area of the settlement of Poltavka in the Zaporozhye Region and 72nd mechanized brigade in the area of the community of Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic were destroyed as a result of artillery fire and active operations by the battlegroup East," the spokesman said.
During the last 24-hour period, Russian forces also destroyed four Ukrainian armored combat vehicles and two motor vehicles, the general specified.
Russian forces destroyed two Ukrainian ammunition depots over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kherson direction, two ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army were destroyed as a result of artillery fire in the areas of the city of Kherson and the settlement of Zmiyevka in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.
Russian combat aircraft destroyed two radar stations of the Ukrainian army in the Zaporozhye Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed a 35D6 low-altitude radar in the area of the settlement of Malokaterinovka in the Zaporozhye Region along with a US-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroyed two US-made multiple launch rocket systems near Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, an M142 HIMARS launcher and an M270 MLRS of US-manufacture were obliterated," the spokesman said.
Russian forces "also wiped out three Ukrainian missile/artillery armament depots in areas near the settlements of Malinovka and Avdeyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Druzhelyubovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the general added.
Russian air defense forces shot down five Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and four rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities shot down four rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and five Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near the settlements of Golikovo and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region and Peschanoye in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.
Russian forces have destroyed over 3,000 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.
"In all, the following targets have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation: 381 aircraft, 206 helicopters, 3,001 unmanned aerial vehicles, 402 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,719 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,003 multiple rocket launchers, 3,981 field artillery guns and mortars and 8,249 special military motor vehicles," the spokesman said.
Reuters/TASS
