The war in Ukraine began a year ago today. The fighting has since killed thousands, forced millions to flee to Europe and destroyed entire cities.
Follow our live updates as Europe remembers that era-defining day.
14:30
14:15
Ukraine is fighting for ‘freedom of the entire continent’: Moldova’s President
Moldova’s President Maia Sandu said Ukrainians are not only fighting Russia for a “free and dignified life” but also for the “freedom of the entire continent.”
In a message posted online on Friday, Sandu said “there is no greater injustice than being invaded and killed in your own home” and praised Ukrainians who “rose up, conquered their fears and became invincible” in the face of Russian aggression.
(AP)
14:06
13:45
Japan set to propose new sanctions
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he plans to present a set of “new ideas” for sanctions against Russia when he hosts an online G-7 summit later on Friday.
Kishida, this year’s G-7 president, told a news conference he also planned to call on other countries to stop providing military support to Russia.
“In order to absolutely not allow one-sided changes to the status quo, we must firmly carry out support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia to regain peace and international order based on the rule of law,» Kishida said. “G-7 serves the core of the international commitment to do so.”
13:45
UK Minister says sanctions ‘are hitting Russia where it hurts’
“Europe and our allies have pulled together… [creating] the largest use of coordinated sanctions ever levelled against a major economy — sanctions which are hitting Russia where it hurts,” Anne-Marie Trevelyan, a UK Minister of State, told Euronews.
You can read more about her views on sanctions here 👇
Sanctions are hitting Russia where it hurts. We must not lose momentum
Sanctions collaboration by international partners has been vital over the last year — now we must ensure our enforcement work is watertight to keep the pressure on Putin, UK Minister of State Anne-Marie Trevelyan writes.
13:15
Beijing’s peace proposal is ‘insufficient’: European Commission
China’s twelve-point peace deal builds on a “selective” and “insufficient” interpretation of the United Nations charter that doesn’t properly reflect the roles of aggressor and victim, according to the European Commission.
China’s proposal calls for the cessation of hostilities, the lifting of “unilateral sanctions” and the end of the “Cold War mentality,” a reference to Beijing’s geopolitical rift with the United States.
Crucially, the paper doesn’t say what should happen with the Ukrainian territories that Russia has occupied since February 2022.
The proposal is a “political initiative. It emphasises certain principles of the UN Charter but it’s selective and insufficient about their implications for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” a European Commission spokesperson told reporters on Friday.
“China’s position builds on a misplaced focus on the so-called legitimate security interests and concerns of parties implying a justification for Russia’s illegal invasion and blurring the roles of the aggressor and the aggressed.”
Speaking from Estonia, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the Chinese paper was a compilation of “principles” rather than a fully-fledged peace proposal and that it should be seen against the context of China declaring an “unlimited friendship with Russia right before the invasion.”
12:48
Pros and cons of supplying fighter jets to Ukraine
As Ukraine urges the West to provide it with fighter jets, experts say there are a lot of considerations to take into account before supplying them.
Learn more about this from our story 👇
What are the pros and cons of supplying fighter jets to Ukraine?
Ukrainian officials are asking for fighter aircraft, with President Zelenskyy telling the UK to give the country “wings” to control the skies. But there are a lot of factors for Western countries to consider before doing so, experts say. #EuropeDecoded
12:33
Polish PM brings Leopard tanks to Kyiv
Poland’s president said that his country’s prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki brought the first Leopard tanks to Ukraine during his visit to Kyiv.
12:28
Ukraine is fighting for its ‘place in the European Union’: von der Leyen
12:24
Pentagon announces new €1.8 billion aid package for Ukraine
The Pentagon announced a new package of long-term security assistance for Ukraine on Friday, with a $2 billion [€1.8 billion] commitment to send more rounds of ammunition and a variety of small, high-tech drones into the fight.
In a statement, it added that the aid includes weapons to counter Russia’s unmanned systems and several types of drones, including the upgraded Switchblade 600 Kamikaze drone, as well as electronic warfare detection equipment.
(AP)
