European Union support for Ukraine will continue, as the country is the victim of aggression, stated Ursula von der Leyen, President of the EU Commission, on Friday. She added that sanctions imposed on Russia are having a significant impact on its economy.
"Ukraine can rely on us because this is not just an attack on Ukraine, but an assault on the principles of the UN Charter," she said in a speech in Johannesburg, where she is attending the G20 summit.
"We've imposed 19 sanction packages, and these are indeed effective," she remarked.
"The evidence is clear when you observe the increasing challenges facing the Russian economy: rising inflation, higher interest rates, and a strained wartime economy. Gradually, the figures are proving that the sanctions are taking effect."
Her comment comes as she confirmed that she and European leaders will reach out to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss a U.S. peace plan on Ukraine during the current G20 summit.
"We will discuss the situation both with European leaders and with leaders here on the sidelines of the G20. I will also reach out to President Zelenskyy to discuss the matter," she told reporters on Friday.
Von der Leyen said a key principle European leaders had always upheld was "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine."
The United States and Russia are negotiating a 28-point roadmap to end the war in Ukraine but Brussels has not been included in the negotiations.
Zelenskyy said he was ready for "constructive, honest and prompt work" with Washington, on Thursday after talks with a top U.S. Army official.
According to the U.S.-backed plan, seen by Reuters, Kyiv would be required to give up the entire Donbas region - part of which Kyiv's forces control - and significantly downsize its military, conditions long seen by Ukraine's allies as tantamount to capitulation.
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported...
Uzbekistan will open an embassy in Georgia, the Central Asian country’s presidency has said. The announcement follows talks between Uzbekistan’s P...
President Donald Trump said Iran is keen to reach a deal with the United States, claiming Washington had paused engagement to allow funeral ceremonies...
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of the eastern German city of Erfurt on Saturday as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) opened ...
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to use next week's NATO summit in Ankara to advance his push for greater European responsibility in secur...
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported. Meanwhile, Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said.
Uzbekistan will open an embassy in Georgia, the Central Asian country’s presidency has said. The announcement follows talks between Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in Tbilisi.
President Donald Trump said Iran is keen to reach a deal with the United States, claiming Washington had paused engagement to allow funeral ceremonies for late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of the eastern German city of Erfurt on Saturday as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) opened its annual party conference, where delegates voted to keep Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla as the party's co-leaders.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Germany has requested urgent talks with China's ambassador following reports that Chinese authorities trained Russian soldiers, adding fresh strain to relations between Beijing and Europe amid the war in Ukraine.
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported. Meanwhile, Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said.
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to use next week's NATO summit in Ankara to advance his push for greater European responsibility in security, with a bilateral meeting planned with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as Paris seeks closer coordination with key allies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
China said on Saturday it had launched a coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, prompting a strong protest from Taipei, which accused Beijing of illegally expanding its authority and undermining regional stability.
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