There will indeed be accession negotiations with kyiv for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, announced Charles Michel, President of the European Council. For his part, President Vladimir Putin revealed Thursday that the Russian army had 617,000 soldiers deployed in Ukraine, providing for the first time a precise estimate of the forces currently engaged in the assault against its neighbor. On the other hand, he has not revealed the losses since the start of his offensive, on February 24, 2022, which the United States estimates at 315,000 Russian soldiers injured or killed.
The main information:
- EU opens accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova
- Volodymyr Zelensky hailed a “victory for Ukraine” and “a “victory for Europe”
- 617,000 soldiers are deployed in Ukraine, declares Vladimir Putin
- Russia confident to “move forward”, according to Putin
- NATO chief says there is a ‘real risk’ that Putin will not stop at Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelensky hails a “victory for Ukraine”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed Thursday as a “victory for Ukraine” and “all of Europe.” Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated “every Ukrainian” as well as Moldova, with which accession negotiations will also be initiated. “History is written by those who never tire of fighting for freedom,” he added.
EU agreement to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova
The European Union has decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, announced Thursday in Brussels on the first day of a summit of the leaders of the 27. clear signal of hope for the citizens of these countries and for our continent”, he added on X (ex-Twitter),
Russia confident to “move forward”, according to Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed Thursday that Russia was sufficiently confident to “move forward” despite economic sanctions, the conflict in Ukraine and the confrontation with the West, at the opening of his major press conference. According to Vladimir Putin, questioned about the resistance of the economy to sanctions, his country has a “sufficient margin of safety” due to the “strong consolidation of Russian society”, the “stability of the country’s financial and economic system ” and “the increase in military capabilities” of Moscow.
This margin is “enough not only to feel confident, but also to move forward,” assured the Russian president, who recently announced his intention to run for a new term in March 2024 which could make him stay in the Kremlin at least until 2030. He nevertheless recognized that inflation remained high in Russia, expected at 7.5-8% at the end of the year, a source of concern among the population and promised that the Central Bank would take appropriate measures to curb it.
A “real risk” that Putin will not stop at Ukraine, warns NATO chief
In the event of Russia’s victory in Ukraine, there is a “real risk” that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not stop there, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Thursday in Brussels. “If Putin wins in Ukraine, there is a real risk that his aggression will not stop there,” Jens Stoltenberg told the press, insisting on the need to continue military aid to kyiv. “Our support is not charity, it is an investment in our security,” he added, at the same time as the Russian president affirmed from Moscow that the Russian army was improving its positions on almost the entire front line in Ukraine.
Ukraine says it intercepted 41 of 42 drones launched by Russia overnight
Ukraine said Thursday it had intercepted 41 of the 42 explosive drones launched by Russia overnight on its territory, a new attack illustrating the growing pressure from Moscow on the ground in recent days. “41 (explosive drones, editor’s note) ‘Shahed’ destroyed” out of “a total of 42 recorded,” the Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement on Telegram.
According to this source, Russia fired “in waves” from three directions from its soil and was targeting “mainly Odessa”, the large Ukrainian port in the south of the country. Eleven people were injured, including three children, and 11 buildings damaged, according to the local military administration.