Orban blocked 50 billion euros of EU support for kyiv – L’Express

⇒ Orban blocks 50 billion euros of EU support for kyiv

⇒ The White House welcomed the EU’s “historic decision”

⇒ New economic sanctions against Russia

The American presidency welcomed Thursday evening, December 14, the “historic decision” taken the day before by the 27, to open negotiations for accession to the European Union with Ukraine. “We welcome the EU’s historic decision to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, a crucial step towards achieving their Euro-Atlantic aspirations,” said on the social network Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan. A decision also hailed as a “logical, fair and necessary response” by Emmanuel Macron.

Another important point of debate among the leaders of the Twenty-Seven: financial support for Ukraine, around which discussions will resume “at the beginning of next year”, declared Friday the President of the European Council Charles Michel. Viktor Orban’s Hungary vetoed this package of 50 billion euros of loans and subsidies, which requires the unanimity of member states. “I don’t want to go too far into the details, I will work in the coming days and weeks with my colleagues to prepare a summit for the beginning of next year,” Charles Michel underlined to the press.

Tokyo has added 57 organizations in Russia and six others in countries including the United Arab Emirates, Armenia, Syria and Uzbekistan to its sanctions list, according to a statement from the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Commerce. Industry (Meti), announced the country’s sale December 15. They will take effect on December 22 for the new Russian entities concerned and on December 27 for organizations from other countries. In total, Japan now sanctions 494 Russian entities, 27 Belarusian and 6 from other states.

The other members of the G7, such as the United States and the European Union, also decided this week to strengthen their sanctions against Moscow. The European Union approved a new package of sanctions against Russia overnight from Thursday to Friday, which notably includes a ban on imports of Russian diamonds into the EU, a statement from the Twenty-Seven said on Thursday.

However, for the moment the various sanctions from the G7 and other countries against Moscow have not been enough to make Vladimir Putin waver in his war against Ukraine. On Thursday, the Russian president estimated that his country had a “sufficient margin of security” to hold out and even “move forward” despite international sanctions, thanks to the “strong consolidation of Russian society”, the ” stability of the country’s financial and economic system” and the increase in its military capabilities.

Russia launched three hypersonic missiles on Thursday towards kyiv and western Ukraine, at least one of which was shot down, the Ukrainian Air Force announced, a new illustration of the strengthening of Moscow’s air attacks .

The Air Force reported that these Kinjal ballistic missiles were launched in the direction of kyiv and the town of Starokostiantyniv (Khmelnytsky region, west), where there is a military airfield. No casualties or damage have yet been reported.

Russia has refused all offers made by the United States so far for the release of two Americans detained in that country, including journalist Evan Gershkovich, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Thursday, summoning President Vladimir Putin to “negotiate in good faith”. “We strongly hope for an agreement” with Russia for the release of journalist Evan Gershkovich, whom Russian justice decided Thursday to keep in detention, as well as former Marine Paul Whelan, said a White House spokesperson.