The European Union celebrated the third anniversary of Ukraine’s invasion by approving a new package of sanctions against Russia, the sixteenth from the beginning of the conflict. “We have to support Ukraine now more than ever,” said the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, upon arrival at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, who approved the decision.
The package of sanctions includes, among other things, the ban on the import of primary aluminum and sale of video games for video games, in addition to the insertion in the black list of 74 other ships of the so -called shadow of Vladimir Putin, used to evade the sanctions . “This new series of penalties aims not only the Russian ghost fleet, but also those who support the exploitation of dangerous oil tankers, the video game controllers used to pilot the drones, the banks that circumvent our penalties and the propaganda bodies that They spread lies, “Kallas listed.
New aid in Kiev
“We will increase the punitive sanctions against Russia, unless it shows an authentic desire to achieve a lasting peace agreement,” said the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who on the occasion of the anniversary went to visit In Kiev together with the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa. Von der Leyen then announced that Ukraine will receive a new payment of 3.5 billion euros in March, referring to a tranche of pre-approved aid during payment, and said that the country will also benefit from the plans of the EU to increase the production of weapons and European defense skills.
Several European leaders also went to Kiev, including the Spanish premier, Pedro Sanchez, and the Danish one, puts Frederiksen, who laid flowers in the square of Maidan to honor the military fallen in battle.
At Maidan, We Honor The Fallen—and Those Still Fighing On the Frontines.
Europe stands with Ukraine, Empowering Its Brave Resistance.
Through Strength, they will secure a Just and Lasting Peace.
In Peace World of Their Ultimate Sacrifice. pic.twitter.com/cjzyabfuq9
– Ursula von der leyen (@vonderleyen) Febration 24, 2025
Diplomacy in action
For his part, Kallas has also announced that tomorrow he will go to the United States to meet the Secretary of State Marco Rubio and discuss EU-USA relations and the interviews between Washington and Moscow to end the war in Ukraine. European leaders were displaced by Donald Trump’s decision to keep interviews with Russia, arousing the disappointment of both Kiev and Europe. Today (Monday 24 February) the French president Emmanuel Macron will be in Washington just to discuss the matter with the Republican, while Europeans want a place at the negotiation table.
“You can discuss everything you want with Putin, but if it is Ukraine and Europe, Ukraine and Europe must also accept this agreement,” said Kallas. Many of the foreign ministers present at the Brussels meeting wore the blue and yellow colors as a sign of support for Kiev. Some, including Spanish minister José Manuel Albares, said that the victim, Ukraine, with the attacker, Russia, should not be confused.
“It is absolutely unacceptable, as the United States wants to do the United Nations today, to put the two countries on the same level,” said Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot. “There is an attacker and there is a victim.” Kallas herself said it was “clear” that the “Russian narrative” was represented by what Trump was saying about the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The opposition of the Hungary
Viktor Orbán’s Hungary was held with the US president. “It is in our fundamental interest that negotiations on Ukraine have success, for this reason we will do everything possible to ensure that Brussels and the Europeans in favor of the war cannot block a peace agreement between the United States and Russia,” said the minister of Hungarian foreign foreign, Péter Szijjártó.
Budapest has given its go -ahead to the penalties, necessary given that in foreign policy decisions the unanimity of the twenty -seven, but only in exchange for a series of exemptions that will allow the Hungarian Mol to use refined Russian oil products at national level, to subtract the equipment for the maintenance of the Druzhba elevation from the penalties and to ensure that the subway of the capital can continue to receive the necessary assistance and repair services from federation companies.
However, the country is blocking the renewal of the restrictive measures against individuals included in the Blacklist of Brussels. “We will not agree to accelerate with the extension of the sanctions to individuals, we will not accept the outlay of tens of billions of euros for the supplies of weapons and, as regards the security guarantees, we will not ask what security guarantees of Ukraine needs, but what security guarantees we need Hungarians, “said Szijjártó.
