Update Tuesday June 25 at 10:30 p.m.
The European Union officially launched accession negotiations with Ukraine on Tuesday in Luxembourga stage described as“historical” both in kyiv and Brussels. Russia has sought by all means to obstruct this accession process, which promises to be long and difficult, leading this former Soviet republic to anchor itself in Europe.
“Historic moment” for the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, “historic day” for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky… there was no shortage of superlatives to greet this opening of negotiations. In Ukraine, “90% of people support us, we will make the reforms” required, assured Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna during a speech to the ministers of the Twenty-Seven.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on Tuesday that it had issued arrest warrants against Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov and former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. They are both accused of being responsible for the war crimes of directing attacks against civilian objects and causing excessive accidental harm to civilians, as well as the crime against humanity of “inhumane acts”, it said. the ICC in a press release.
The Ukrainian presidency on Tuesday welcomed the “important decision” of the International Criminal Court (ICC). On their side, the Russian authorities judged “insignificant” this arrest warrant, Russian news agencies reported.
Russia has announced that it is blocking access to the broadcasting of 81 European media on its territory, including the sites of World and Agence France-Presse (AFP), in “retaliation” for the decision of the European Union (EU) in May to ban four Russian state media. The list published by the Russian ministry on Tuesday also includes German media Der SpiegelSpanish El Mundo And El PaísItalian television RAI, and other French media, such as the daily Release and the LCI and CNews channels.
Ukrainian authorities on Tuesday ordered the “forced” evacuation of children and their parents from five villages in the Donetsk region, in the east of the country. This measure concerns “children with their parents or other legal representatives” living in localities close to the area where fighting has intensified in recent weeks, the governor of this region said in a press release.
Prague announced the arrival in Ukraine of the first delivery of ammunition purchased outside Europe as part of a Czech initiative, in order to face the invasion of Russia. The Czech Republic, a NATO and EU member country of 10.9 million people, is spearheading this international fundraising initiative to buy ammunition for the Ukrainian army.
The Russian army claimed on Tuesday to have destroyed thirty Ukrainian drones overnight, in the Belgorod and Voronezh regions, border regions of Ukraine. For its part, Ukraine said it had hit a Russian army ammunition depot in the Russian region of Voronezh, causing a major fire on the site. According to this source, the operation was carried out by Ukrainian military intelligence forces.
The European Union on Tuesday again extended temporary protection for some 4.2 million Ukrainian refugees.until March 4, 2026. Ukrainians fleeing the war started by Russia have benefited from a status since March 2022 allowing them to stay, work and access aid in the EU.