European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to extend sanctions against Russia over its ongoing war in Ukraine for a further 12 months, marking the first time the restrictive measures have been renewed on an annual basis rather than the previous six-month cycle.
A spokesperson for the chair of the summit in Brussels confirmed the decision, which maintains pressure on key sectors of the Russian economy as the war approaches its fourth year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told EU leaders that Europe’s future security depends on Ukraine’s defence against Russia, renewing his call for a fast-track path to European Union membership.
“Every democratic nation in Europe deserved to be in the EU,” Zelenskyy said, arguing that Ukraine had “paid more than any other country” for its right to independence and European integration.
He acknowledged divisions within the bloc, including opposition from Hungary, which has pushed to soften language on accelerated accession in EU summit conclusions.
Despite disagreements, EU ambassadors last week approved the start of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, beginning with the first of six policy clusters aimed at aligning legislation with EU standards.
A European Council statement welcomed the formal opening of talks and signalled readiness to advance further chapters on a merit-based basis, though without committing to accelerated timelines.
Hungarian officials said references to fast-tracking Ukraine’s membership were removed from the final summit text.
Zelenskyy used the summit to highlight ongoing Russian strikes and Ukraine’s long-range operations, including reported drone attacks on targets deep inside Russian territory, such as an oil refinery near Moscow.
He said Ukraine aims to end the war within the year through diplomacy and sustained international pressure on Russia, while warning of intensified missile and drone attacks.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, reiterated its position that it would continue “massive coordinated strikes” in response to Ukrainian attacks, underscoring the continued escalation on both sides.
The Ukrainian president also urged EU leaders to prioritise military and financial support, including air defence systems, energy supplies, and at least 300 additional missiles if the war extends into winter.
He called for the release of €6 billion from the European Peace Facility and encouraged stronger financial mechanisms to ensure sustained support for Kyiv’s defence effort.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine remains open to negotiations with Russia but stressed that Europe must maintain sanctions pressure and close loopholes to secure a stronger position at the negotiating table.
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U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for continuing to target Russia's energy infrastructure, while Russian strikes on Kyiv overnight killed at least one person and damaged a metro station.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Norway for talks about the Russia-Ukraine war. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who arrived in Oslo earlier. Witkoff will also meet European officials.
French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the violence, looting and vandalism that erupted during cost-of-living protests across France. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held crisis talks on Monday, calling for partial curfews and raising the possibility of a state of emergency.
An oil tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said late Sunday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said regional issues should be resolved through diplomacy and blamed the United States for insecurity and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, speaking at a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday.
China has lodged a formal diplomatic protest with the UK after British border officials allegedly subjected Chinese travellers to lengthy questioning and seized personal electronic devices, including phones, laptops and smartwatches.
More than 150 people have been killed in a drone strike on a crowded market in the disputed Abyei region, South Sudanese officials said, marking one of the deadliest attacks linked to Sudan's civil war since it began in April 2023.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Norway for talks about the Russia-Ukraine war. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who arrived in Oslo earlier. Witkoff will also meet European officials.
Beijing says it deployed naval forces to monitor a U.S. warship near Sabina Shoal, while Taiwan reports a separate confrontation with a Chinese coast guard vessel near the Pratas Islands.
Tensions are mounting across Asia, with North Korea warning of war, China clashing with the U.S. and the Philippines, and protests gathering pace in Indonesia and India. Military threats, diplomatic disputes and political unrest are fuelling uncertainty across the region.
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