LIVE – Ukraine: EU announces €35 billion loan, financed by frozen Russian assets

Norway will increase its civilian aid to Ukraine by 425 million euros this year, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced on Friday.

The success of Ukraine’s “victory plan” in the war against Russia depends on “swift decisions by allies” this year, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday at a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The Ukrainian president also said he “hopes” that US President Joe Biden will give the green light to the plan’s implementation. “I really hope that he will support this plan,” he said.

“I am pleased to announce that the Commission has adopted the proposals that will allow the European Union to lend 35 billion euros” to Ukraine, Ursula von der Leyen said Friday, during a press conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “This is a huge step forward,” she added. It should be noted that it is the Russian assets frozen in Europe that will finance this measure.

The European Union is considering providing a €35 billion loan to Ukraine, financed by windfall profits from Russian assets frozen in Europe, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in kyiv on Friday.

Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council announced Friday that it was banning the use of Telegram, a popular messaging service founded by Russian Pavel Durov, on the official electronic devices of most of its military personnel and officials, citing “security” reasons.

“It was decided to ban the installation and use of Telegram on official devices of government officials, military personnel, employees of the security and defense sector, as well as companies operating critical infrastructure,” with some exceptions, the council said in a statement issued after a meeting on “national security threats” posed by the application.

“No, of course, what can we talk about with him?” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov replied curtly to the possibility of a future meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his American counterpart Anthony Blinken.

The independent Russian website Mediazona and the BBC Russian service reported on Friday that they had identified some 70,000 Russian soldiers killed since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This toll is incomplete but it gives an idea of ​​the scale of Russian losses that Moscow is keeping secret.

“We have identified the names of 70,112 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine, but the true number is likely to be much higher,” the BBC writes. “Some families do not publicly share details of their loved ones’ deaths, and our analysis does not include names that could not be verified, or deaths of militia members from the Russian-occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine,” the outlet adds.

It should be noted that the count, as of September 19, comes from the exploitation of public information, such as official press releases, media obituaries or death announcements on social networks, as well as from the observation of graves in cemeteries in Russia.

“Defending Ukraine does not mean starting a world war… We are helping Ukraine and we must achieve a just peace,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Friday, in remarks reported by The Guardian. “We are sending a new Samp-T anti-missile system to protect hospitals, schools, universities… for this country that has been attacked by Russia,” he added.

Ursula von der Leyen arrived in kyiv on Friday, she announced on social media. “My 8th visit to Kiev comes as Russia continues to attack energy infrastructure. We will support Ukraine in its courageous efforts,” the President of the European Commission wrote. “I came here to discuss Europe’s support. From winter preparation to defence, membership and progress on G7 loans,” she added.

“We are preparing for important negotiations with our European partners as we approach the winter season, and especially during this critical autumn,” said Volodymyr Zelensky in his traditional evening address, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected in kyiv on Friday.

“Energy is an urgent priority. The front remains a constant priority, which includes the joint supply and production of weapons. Political cooperation is also crucial – we have already started negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU, and this process must be active, truly strengthening the entire European system,” the Ukrainian president assures. “We will also discuss the issue of Russian assets. These resources should be directed to protecting life in Ukraine from Russian aggression,” he insists.

The Ukrainian president said on Wednesday that Ukraine’s “victory plan” was “fully prepared.” The text would consist of four main points. It should be presented to Joe Biden soon.

Hello, welcome to follow the latest developments regarding the war in Ukraine.