LIVE – Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelensky says the war with Russia is not at an “impasse”

At the end of his meeting with the President of the European Commission, Volodymyr Zelensky, welcomed a meeting which makes it possible to advance the file of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. “Even in the midst of all-out war, Ukraine has embarked on the path of reforms. We clearly understand that each country’s membership in the EU is a recognition of its institutional progress,” he said. he underlined on X (ex-Twitter).

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday disputed that his country’s war with Russia was at a “stalemate,” after a senior Ukrainian commander said this week that the two armies were trapped in a war wear and positions.

“Time has passed today and people are tired (…) But we are not at an impasse,” assured Volodymyr Zelensky during a press conference in Kiev with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

Ukraine announced today that it has initiated criminal proceedings against Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, in absentia for “justifying” the Russian invasion of its territory. Patriarch Kirill, a staunch supporter of President Vladimir Putin, called Russia’s offensive against Ukraine a battle against “evil forces.” Ukrainian authorities said in a statement that they had “collected evidence against the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Vladimir Gundyaev (known as Kirill)”.

He is a “member of the inner circle of senior military and political leaders in Russia and (…) one of the first to publicly support the war against Ukraine.” Kirill undermined Ukraine’s territorial integrity by justifying armed aggression, according to Ukrainian authorities. “Steps will be taken to bring him to justice for the crimes committed against our state,” they added.

The Ukrainian president welcomed the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to kyiv on X (formerly Twitter). The representative is visiting to discuss “EU enlargement”.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is visiting Kiev today to discuss the “EU accession process”, she reports on X, saying she is “happy to be back to Kiev for [sa] sixth wartime visit”.

In a message posted Friday evening on the Telegram messaging service, Volodymyr Zelensky praises the capabilities of the Ukrainian army, after serious doubts expressed by the commander in chief. “The Ukrainian missile and artillery forces have placed themselves among the most powerful in the world,” he assures. “It is not only thanks to the powerful weapons and artillery systems that we have today. There are also our soldiers on the front and their attitude. Ukrainians are capable of being effective even in such conditions , even when the occupier has a resource advantage, and devalues ​​human life.”

On X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was “grateful to Joe Biden, Congress and the American people for the military aid program” granted by the United States. “This will strengthen our brave warriors and help us protect lives and infrastructure from Russian strikes. The United States is showing strength in the face of aggression and terror,” the Ukrainian head of state further emphasized.

A presidential election was initially planned in Ukraine in 2024, but since the start of the war, martial law has hampered its implementation. However, Volodymyr Zelensky is “weighing the pros and cons” of organizing the election, the head of Ukrainian diplomacy announced on Friday. Ensuring voting in such circumstances presents “unprecedented challenges”, he stressed.

The United States yesterday announced new military aid for Ukraine worth $425 million, including anti-aircraft defense assets. This new aid of $425 million was approved by the US Congress at the end of September and “exhausts the remaining funds currently available”, specifies the Pentagon in its press release.

The aid includes artillery ammunition, anti-tank weapons, as well as small caliber ammunition worth $125 million. It also includes $300 million in laser-guided rockets, financed through the Ukraine Security Assistance Program through which Washington provides equipment to that country through its defense industry or partners rather than by drawing directly from its stocks.

Hello and welcome to this live broadcast dedicated to the war in Ukraine. Find the latest information on the conflict here.