07:36
Rome accuses Wagner of using migrants to punish kyiv supporters
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has accused the Russian paramilitary group Wagner of promoting illegal migration to Europe to punish European countries supporting Ukraine.
“The exponential increase in the phenomenon of migration from African shores is also part, to a significant extent, of a clear strategy of hybrid warfare that the Wagner group is implementing by using its significant weight in several African countries,” said the minister said in a statement.
07:32
Russian forces have made ‘marginal’ gains in several regions of Ukraine
While heavy fighting continues in Bakhmut, according to the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces have made “marginal” gains in several areas of Ukraine with advances northeast of Kupyansk of 17 km and 7 km east of Siversk.
07:22
Ukrainian forces have suffered significant losses since the start of the war
If kyiv does not give official figures, according to the Washington Post, Ukraine may have suffered up to 120,000 dead and wounded during the conflict, compared to 200,000 on the Russian side. In addition, the Washington Post believes that Western training programs do not prepare soldiers quickly enough and that many junior officers who have received training in the past nine months have already been killed in action.
07:11
The Japanese government provided Ukraine with various aids worth about $1.6 billion last year
According to the Kyodo newspaper, the government in 2022 has taken various support measures worth a total of about $1.6 billion for Ukraine.
07:02
Towards a reform of the European electricity market in Europe
The European Commission is due to unveil today a proposal to reform the rules of the European electricity market, with the aim of widening the use of fixed-price energy contracts to protect consumers from soaring bills . Brussels embarked on this project after the drop in Russian gas deliveries to Europe. It is also a question of accelerating the exit of gas from the European energy mix.
06:54
Chinese President Xi Jinping in Russia next week
Chinese President Xi Jinping could visit Russia as early as next week.
Xi also plans after this visit to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time since the start of the war, according to the Wall Street Journal.
06:51
Ukrainian agricultural producers need around one billion euros to carry out the spring sowing campaign
According to Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian Agrarian Council Denys Marchuk, Ukrainian farmers need significant funding. The government should extend “affordable loans between 5 and 9%” for agricultural producers.
06:45
The US administration allows thousands of Ukrainians on its territory who fled their country
“The Department of Homeland Security has extended authorization for thousands of Ukrainian nationals to remain in United States territory. This is for Ukrainians who entered the United States on humanitarian parole status from February 24, 2022 to April 25, 2022. They do not need to file any documents with the government to obtain the extension.
06:35
Finland and Sweden join NATO
Monday evening’s Elysian dinner between Emmanuel Macron and the Hungarian Prime Minister also “made it possible to address the question of the ratification of Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to NATO, as well as reforms of common interest. , which should take place in the next few weeks in the Hungarian Parliament”. Of the thirty members of the Atlantic Alliance, only Turkey and Hungary have yet to ratify these two new candidacies submitted in the midst of the war in Ukraine.
06:33
Emmanuel Macron stresses the need for “the unity of European countries”
Emmanuel Macron received Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday evening for a working dinner at the Elysee Palace, ahead of the European Council on March 23 and 24 in Brussels.
The French president took the opportunity, according to the Elysée, to “reaffirm the need for the unity of European countries in their support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, in particular through the strict application of sanctions against Russia” . A statement that comes as the Hungarian leader regularly makes a dissonant voice heard.
06:33
Ukrainians trained on Leopard tanks in Spain
Some 55 Ukrainian soldiers are completing month-long training in Spain this week to use Leopard 2 tanks that some Western allies have delivered or promised to Ukraine, Madrid said. Arrived in mid-February in Spain, these Ukrainian soldiers must leave for Poland on Wednesday, before joining Ukraine and the front, said a Spanish government source. They were trained 12 hours a day and six days a week at the San Gregorio military base in the city of Zaragoza, northeastern Spain.
06:32
Grain agreement: the UN “takes note”
The UN said in a statement dated from Geneva (Switzerland) that it “takes note” of the Russian proposal on the grain deal and stressed that the UN chief “confirmed that the United Nations will do all possible to preserve the integrity of the Grain Initiative (…) and ensure its continuity”. Russia on Monday offered to extend the deal on Ukrainian grain exports, which expires on March 18, for just 60 days, an offer criticized by Kiev, which sees it as a challenge to the initial agreement.
06:31
Bonjour
Welcome to this new direct dedicated to the war in Ukraine.