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Ursula von der Leyen to Visit Ukraine

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.(photo;twitter.com/vonderleyen)

According to Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko, von der Leyen will visit Ukraine on November 4…reports Asian Lite News

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will visit Ukraine this month, a media report has said, citing Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishina.

During her visit, von der Leyen will hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of the European Union (EU) announcement of its decision regarding the start of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the bloc, Stefanishina said.

The parties will discuss Ukraine’s progress toward EU membership, which will be presented by the European Commission in the final report on November 8, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the TSN.ua media outlet.

Ukraine expects a positive decision regarding the launch of the accession talks with the EU, Stefanishina said.

According to Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko, von der Leyen will visit Ukraine on November 4.

In June 2022, EU leaders accepted Ukraine as a candidate for membership in the bloc.

Last month, Zelensky said the launch of talks on accession to the EU this year is a top priority for Ukraine. 

Ukraine and Turkey Hold Talks on Black Sea Security

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan have discussed the security situation in the Black Sea region during a meeting in Berlin.

Another focus of the talks was Ukraine’s grain exports to global markets, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

Dmitry Kuleba(twitter)

Kuleba and Fidan also exchanged their views on the developments in the Middle East.

Kuleba arrived in the German capital earlier in the day to participate in the conference of foreign ministers of the European Union member states and candidate countries.

ALSO READ-Zelensky Confirms Ukraine’s Maiden Use of US ATACMS Missiles

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PM to open India’s flagship foreign policy conference

The theme for the 2022 Edition is “Terra Nova: Impassioned, Impatient, and Imperilled”, according to a statement by the ministry of external affairs…reports Asian Lite News

India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics – Raisina Dialogue – will kick off on Monday in Delhi. The seventh edition of the conference – which was launched in 2016 – will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with European Union Commission president Ursula von der Leyen as the chief guest.

This will be the second crucial meeting the prime minister will have with a world leader within a week in the national capital. Last week, PM Modi met the United Kingdom counterpart Boris Johnson as the two leaders discussed a host of issues, including bilateral ties, the Ukraine war, climate change among others.

In a tweet on Sunday, the EU commission chief emphasised on the importance of working with India on climate change. “Europe is on the path to climate neutrality with #EUGreenDeal. But Europe alone won’t save our planet. It’s a global effort, and we need to work with India. And we count on you, the young people, to keep fighting for the climate. (sic),” she posted, along with a video of interaction with climate activists.

The Raisina Dialogue will be held over three days between Monday and Wednesday. The theme for the 2022 Edition is “Terra Nova: Impassioned, Impatient, and Imperilled”, according to a statement by the ministry of external affairs.

“Over the course of three days, the Dialogue, will have panel discussions and conversations across multiple formats on six thematic pillars – (i) Rethinking Democracy: Trade, Tech and Ideology; (ii) End of Multilateralism: A Networked Global Order?; (iii) Water Caucuses: Turbulent Tides in the Indo-Pacific; (iv) Communities Inc.: First Responders to Health, Development, and Planet; (v) Achieving Green Transitions: Common Imperative, Diverging Realities; and (vi) Samson vs Goliath: The Persistent and Relentless Tech Wars, (sic)” the official statement read.

Last year, the conference was held in a virtual format due to Covid. This year, however, it’s being held in-person.

ALSO READ-Ursula pledges boosting EU-India ties to fight climate change

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Ursula speaks with Zelensky

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine’s breakaway regions – Donetsk and Luhansk – as independent entities…reports Asian Lite News

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about the ‘atrocities’ in Bucha and elsewhere in Ukraine.

“This afternoon I spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the dreadful murders that have been uncovered in Bucha and other areas from which Russian troops have recently left,” European Commission President said in a statement. European Commission President said that she has assured him of the European Commission’s full support in these terrible times.

“The harrowing images cannot and will not be left unanswered. The perpetrators of these heinous crimes must not go unpunished. We agreed to ensure close coordination between us,” the statement said.

“The EU has set up a Joint Investigation Team with Ukraine to collect evidence and investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity. The EU is ready to reinforce this effort by sending investigation teams on the ground to support the Ukrainian Prosecution Services. Eurojust and Europol are ready to assist,” read the statement.

She said, “a global response is necessary. There are ongoing talks between Eurojust and the International Criminal Court to join forces and for the Court to be part of the Joint Investigation Team. Such a coordinated approach from the Ukrainian authorities, the EU, its Member States and agencies, and the International Criminal Court will allow for the evidence to be collected, analysed and processed in the most complete and effective way possible. I have tasked Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders to follow up and take contact with the Ukrainian Prosecutor General. The Commission will provide all the necessary technical and financial support to all EU-led investigations,” the statement added.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine’s breakaway regions – Donetsk and Luhansk – as independent entities.

Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia’s military operations in Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow. These countries have also promised to help Ukraine with military aid to fight Russia.

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Belarus flights ban decision not political: EU Commission

EU President Ursula von der Leyen
On May 23, a Ryanair flight en route from Greece to Lithuania was grounded in Minsk over a bomb threat flagged by the Belarusian authorities, which turned out to be fake…reports Asian Lite News.

The European Commission does not believe that the decision of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to ban flights over Belarus was politically motivated, a commission spokesperson told Sputnik on Monday.

On Friday, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) criticized the EASA’s directive as “politicization of aviation safety” and urged it to reverse the ban.

“The only politicization of air traffic happened when Belarusian authorities forced down a European airplane under false pretext only to arrest the critical journalist Roman Protasevich and his partner Sofia Sapega. This attack also put at risk the safety of European citizens and planes and showed the complete disregard of Belarus authorities for international aviation rules and procedures,” the EC spokesperson said.

They also noted that Minsk’s decision to divert the plane was “an attack on democracy, an attack on freedom of expression and an attack on European sovereignty.”

According to the EC source, on June 2 the EASA decided to issue a safety directive calling on the EU member states to mandate their national carriers to avoid Belarus airspace in order to “reduce the potential risk to passengers and crews.”

“Safety of passengers remains the Commission’s highest priority and the key driver of the activities and the mission of EASA in providing safe air travel for EU citizens in Europe and worldwide,” they stressed.

On May 23, a Ryanair flight en route from Greece to Lithuania was grounded in Minsk over a bomb threat flagged by the Belarusian authorities, which turned out to be fake. In Minsk, one of the passengers, journalist Roman Protasevich, who is known to be the founder of Belarusian opposition Telegram channel Nexta, was detained along with Russian national Sofia Sapega. The incident prompted an outcry from the West. (ANI/Sputnik)

ALSO READ-Belarusian airlines banned from flying over EU

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