Several thousand Ukrainian soldiers will be trained by European Union member countries this year, kyiv authorities announced on Tuesday.
The stated goal is tostrengthen the capacities of the Kyiv forces. The Twenty-Seven will train 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers this year, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday, June 20. A statement that comes armed as Ukraine launched a few days ago a counter-offensive aimed at liberating the territories occupied by Russia. Franceinfo takes stock of what to remember from the day on the side of the war in Ukraine.
EU countries will train 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers
European Union countries will train 30,000 Ukrainian troops in 2023, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said. “The strategic objective is to strengthen the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the effective conduct of operations, the protection of sovereignty and the restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, (as well as) the protection of civilians”the ministry wrote in a statement posted on Telegram.
First aid worker killed and eight others injured in Russian strike in Kherson
A rescue worker was killed on Tuesday and eight others injured in a Russian strike in Kherson, southern Ukraine, Interior Minister Igor Klimenko announced. He denounced evidence of “baseness and fear” from the Russian army.“Emergency care is provided to the injured,” added Igor Klimenko.
According to the public prosecutor’s office, the “group of rescue workers came under Russian fire while working to eliminate the consequences of the floods” caused by the destruction of a dam in the region on 6 June.
Brussels demands 50 billion euros from EU member states
“We are in a completely different world than 2020.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called on member states to add €50 billion to the EU’s multi-annual budget, negotiated in 2020, in order to help Ukraine until 2027. To be effective, this extension to the 2021-2027 budget will have to be approved unanimously by the Twenty-Seven and receive the approval of the European Parliament.
“We are proposing a financial reserve for the next four years of 50 billion euros. This includes both loans and grants”, said Ursula von der Leyen, during a press briefing. This reserve will make it possible to give a “perspective” to Ukrainians and “will allow us to really calibrate our financial support according to the evolution of the situation on the ground, because we all know that a war requires of us the greatest flexibility”advances the president of the European executive.
UK increases financial support
London announced a new financial aid plan for Ukraine in the form of humanitarian aid and guarantees of World Bank loans to ensure the functioning of public services.
As London hosts an international conference for the reconstruction of Ukraine on Wednesday and Thursday, the British Conservative government has said it wants to highlight “his unwavering commitment to the country, both now and in the future” with this plan over several years. The latter brings British non-military aid to 4.7 billion pounds (5.5 billion euros), Downing Street estimated in a press release.
Moscow warns of strikes on Russian soil or annexed Crimea
Russia threatened to strike “decision-making centers” Ukrainians in the event of bombardments on Russian soil or on annexed Crimea with Western weapons, which Moscow accuses kyiv of preparing.
“According to our information, the leaders of the Ukrainian Armed Forces plan to strike the territory of Russia, including Crimea, with (American systems) Himars and (British missiles) Storm Shadows” said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. “The use of these missiles outside the (combat) zone would mean full involvement of the United States and the United Kingdom in the conflict and would lead to immediate strikes on decision-making centers in Ukraine”, he added.