Ukraine, the commemorations in Kiev and the tensions with Hungary over European help | EUROtoday

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KIEV – A grey sky and a freezing local weather marked the ceremony right here in Kiev right now to recollect the victims of the Russian conflict in opposition to Ukraine, 4 years after the invasion of the nation. The celebrations have been a possibility for the Group of Seven and the Coalition of the Willing to reiterate their help for the Ukrainian authorities, in an unsure context. In addition to the lengthy battle, American disengagement from Europe and the political tug-of-war with Budapest loom over the nation’s future.

“The European Union will continue to provide political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people,” the President of the European Council António Costa and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen assured in an announcement. Subsequently the G7 international locations mentioned “to support the peace efforts promoted by American President Donald Trump”. Support additionally got here from the so-called Coalition of the Willing.

The ceremonies in Maidan Square, the place the well-known baroque column inaugurated in 2001 to rejoice the primary ten years of independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union stands, have been notably touching. Despite the bitter chilly, quite a few leaders from Northern and Eastern Europe have been current – ​​the leaders of Germany, France and Italy have been absent. In the middle of Kiev the notes of a trumpet sounded in honor of the fallen.

The European Commission took benefit of this to announce new help to help the nation’s vitality system. Among these is a package deal of 100 million euros, “available immediately”, Ms von der Leyen mentioned at a press convention. The latter has additionally promised 920 million euros with which to face subsequent winter, in addition to measures to make sure vitality safety in member international locations. Our gaze turns to states with out entry to the ocean, corresponding to Hungary or Slovakia.

The new help to Ukraine comes as this 12 months’s winter has been among the many harshest in latest instances (the temperature in Kiev dropped to -20° in latest days). The president of the non-public utility DTEK, Maxim Timchenko, defined yesterday to some Brussels journalists: “We have had obvious difficulties in responding to the demand for electricity due to the low temperatures, the damage suffered over the years, and the recent Russian attacks which targeted energy plants in particular.”