In response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine, the Council and the European Parliament agreed on introducing through urgent procedure specific and temporary measures concerning Ukrainian driver documents. The legislative proposal is linked to the reception of Ukrainian refugees and aims at reducing the administrative requirements normally applying to third country drivers when driving within […]
EU and UNDP support launch of psychological assistance hotline for Ukrainians affected by war
With EU funding, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine has supported the launch of a hotline to provide psychological assistance to Ukrainians affected by the war. The initiative to establish this hotline for the provision of first-hand psychological care came from the National Psychological Association of Ukraine, which is implementing it. The line […]
Kremlin’s Never-Ending Thirst for Death and Devastation
Pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets continue to call immense human suffering liberation and the ruins temporarily fallen into Russian hands tokens of glorious victory. Similarly, without any hesitation, Kremlin spin-doctors turn a terror strike against a shopping mall with Soviet-era cruise missiles loaded with one-ton warheads a surgical precision attack against a justified military target. Russian mouthpieces […]
Ukraine: Commission waives customs duties and VAT
The European Commission has today adopted a Decision enabling Member States to temporarily waive customs duties and VAT on the importation from third countries of food, blankets, tents, electric generators and other life-saving equipment destined for Ukrainians affected by the war. This measure, which was requested by Member States, will apply retroactively from 24 February […]
G7 summit, Schloss Elmau, 26-28 June 2022
Main results Charles Michel, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, represented the EU at this year’s G7 summit hosted in Schloss Elmau, Bavaria, Germany. The G7 summit was an opportunity to send out a powerful signal of unity in these turbulent times. The EU and the G7 share […]
EU starts delivery of more than 90 off-road trucks to support Ukraine’s Armed Forces
The logistical equipment is part of a broader Assistance Measure worth EUR 31 million adopted on 2 December to support Ukraine. The EU has started to deliver more than 90 off-road trucks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine under the European Peace Facility. The trucks will support medical, engineering and logistic units of the Ukrainian […]
Start of electricity trade between Ukraine and the EU
The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity announced that electricity trade between Ukraine and the EU will start this week, on 30 June. I welcome this development that follows the successful emergency synchronisation of the Ukrainian and Moldovan grids with the European Continental Grid in March. This is the next step in integrating […]
EU mobilises emergency reserves for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats
Following a request from the Government of Ukraine for medical equipment, protective gear and specialised equipment for public health risks such as chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats, the European Commission has mobilised its new rescEU emergency reserves. EU provided equipment includes 300,000 specialised protection suits, 5,600 litres of decontaminants and 850 pieces of equipment for […]
Digital Assembly 2022: A closer look into the digital future
Joint press release by the European Commission and the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union At the Digital Assembly, held on 21 and 22 June in Toulouse, the European Commission and the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union have organised a session on continued support for Ukraine’s digital sector. This […]