Zelensky hails new EU sanctions on Russia as 'essential and timely'
"This decision is essential and timely, especially now, as a response to the fact that Russia has intensified the brutality of the strikes on our cities and villages," Zelensky said on social media.
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EU Leaders Say Ukraine Should Have Freedom to Decide Its Future
Ukrainians must have the freedom to decide their own future, European Union member states said on Tuesday, seeking to weigh in ahead of talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy plan to speak with Trump on Wednesday, before the summit in Alaska, amid fears that Washington, hitherto Ukraine's leading arms supplier, may dictate unfavourable peace terms to Kyiv. "Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities," the leaders of all EU countries except Hungary said in a joint statement, adding: "We share the conviction that a diplomatic solution must protect Ukraine's and Europe's vital security interests." Kyiv and its European allies fear that Trump, keen to claim credit for making peace and seal business deals with Moscow, could in effect reward Russia for more than 11 years of efforts to seize Ukrainian territory, the last three in open warfare. "A Ukraine capable of defending itself effectively is an integral part of any future security guarantees," the European statement said, adding that EU nations were ready to contribute further to security guarantees. However, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Putin's principal ally in Europe, mocked the statement from his EU counterparts. "The fact that the EU was left on the sidelines is sad enough as it is. The only thing that could make things worse is if we started providing instructions from the bench," Orban said on X. "The only sensible action for EU leaders is to initiate an EU-Russia summit, based on the example of the U.S.-Russia meeting." Trump had been hardening his stance towards Moscow, agreeing to send more U.S. weapons to Ukraine and threatening hefty trade tariffs on buyers of Russian oil in an ultimatum that has now lapsed. Even so, the prospect of Trump hosting Putin on U.S. soil for the first U.S.-Russia summit since 2021 has revived fears that he might put narrow U.S. interests ahead of the security of European allies or broader geopolitics. Trump has said any peace deal would involve "some swapping of territories to the betterment of both" Russia and Ukraine, prompting consternation in Kyiv and European capitals as virtually all the territory in question is Ukrainian. Kyiv's military said on Monday it had retaken two villages in the eastern region of Sumy, part of a small reversal in more than a year of slow, attritional Russian gains in the southeast. "It's tough. But we are holding back the enemy," Ukraine's top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, wrote on Facebook, following a meeting on Tuesday with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and fellow commanders. Russia, which launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has mounted a new offensive this year in Sumy after Putin demanded a "buffer zone" there. Russian forces have meanwhile been pushing westward for months along other sections of the 1,000-km (600-mile) frontline, capturing villages almost daily, mainly in the Donetsk region. Ukraine's authoritative Deep State mapping project shows that Russian forces control about 200 sq km (77 sq miles) of Sumy, and a total of about 114,000 sq km (44,000 sq miles) in Ukraine, including Crimea, seized in 2014.
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Condemnations poured in from the United Nations, the EU and media rights groups Monday after an Israeli strike killed an Al Jazeera news team in Gaza, as Palestinians mourned the journalists and Israel admitted the deliberate attack. It attempted to justify the attack by accusing one of them of being a Hamas militant. Dozens of Gazans stood amid bombed-out buildings in the courtyard of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City to pay their respects to Anas al-Sharif, a prominent Al Jazeera correspondent aged 28, and four of his colleagues killed on Sunday. Hospital director Mohammed Abu Salmiya said a sixth journalist, freelance reporter Mohammed al-Khaldi, was killed in the strike that targeted the Al Jazeera team. Mourners, including men wearing blue journalists' flak jackets, carried their bodies, wrapped in white shrouds with their faces exposed, through narrow alleys to their graves. Israel confirmed it had targeted Sharif, whom it labelled a "terrorist" affiliated with Hamas, alleging he "posed as a journalist." Al Jazeera said four other employees — correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa — were killed when the strike hit a tent set up for journalists outside the main gate of al-Shifa. An Israeli military statement accused Sharif of heading a Hamas "terrorist cell" and being "responsible for advancing rocket attacks" against Israelis. The military released documents alleging to show the date of Sharif's enlistment with Hamas in 2013, an injury report from 2017, and the name of his military unit and rank. According to local journalists who knew him, Sharif had worked at the start of his career with a Hamas communication office, where his role was to publicize events organized by the group that has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2006. Sharif was one of Al Jazeera's most recognizable faces working in Gaza, providing daily reports on the now 22-month war. Media freedom groups have condemned the Israeli strike on journalists, which the U.N. human rights agency called a "grave breach of international humanitarian law." The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said Monday that "the EU condemns the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists." 'Attempt to silence' A posthumous message, written by Sharif in April in case of his death, was published online saying he had been silenced and urging people "not to forget Gaza." In July, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called for his protection following online posts by an Israeli military spokesperson. The group had accused Israel of a "pattern" of labeling journalists as militants "without providing credible evidence." It said the military had leveled similar accusations against media workers in Gaza, including Al Jazeera staff. "International law is clear that active combatants are the only justified targets in a war setting," Jodie Ginsberg, CPJ's chief executive, told AFP. Unless Israel "can demonstrate that Anas al-Sharif was still an active combatant, then there is no justification for his killing." Al Jazeera called the attack "a desperate attempt to silence voices exposing the Israeli occupation," and described Sharif as "one of Gaza's bravest journalists." The Qatari broadcaster also said the strike followed "repeated incitement" and calls by Israeli officials to target Sharif and his colleagues. Reporters Without Borders says nearly 200 journalists have been killed in the war. Israel prevents international reporters from entering Gaza, except on occasional, tightly controlled trips with the military. The strike on the news team in Gaza City came days after the Israeli security cabinet approved plans to send troops into the area, a decision met with mounting domestic and international criticism. 'Another calamity' Netanyahu on Sunday said the military will conquer the remaining quarter or so of the territory not yet controlled by Israeli troops — including much of Gaza City and al-Mawasi, an Israeli-designated safe zone where vast numbers of Palestinians have sought refuge. The plan, which Israeli media reported had triggered bitter disagreement between the government and military leadership, drew condemnation from protesters in Israel and numerous countries, including Israeli allies. Notably, Germany, a major weapons supplier and staunch ally, announced the suspension of shipments of any arms that could be used in Gaza. Australia said it would join a growing list of Western nations in recognizing a Palestinian state. Netanyahu has remained defiant, telling journalists Sunday that "we will win the war, with or without the support of others." The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have condemned the planned offensive, which U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca said "will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza." U.N. agencies warned last month that famine was unfolding in the territory, with Israel severely restricting aid entry. Israel's offensive has killed at least 61,499 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, figures the United Nations says are reliable. Hamas' 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
