live blog
Kiev says it is continuing to discuss the delivery of “Taurus” rockets with the federal government. Federal Finance Minister Lindner is calling on EU partners to increase aid to Ukraine. All developments in the live blog.
A Russian military transport plane reportedly carrying more than 70 people has crashed over the Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine. This was announced by the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. There were nine Russian crew members and 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war on board the Ilyushin Il-76 machine, the Tass agency reported. The prisoners were flown to a planned exchange. There was initially no other confirmation of this information.
Hatched: territories occupied by Russia
The Ukrainian government says it is still in talks with the federal government about the delivery of “Taurus” cruise missiles. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said this in an interview with “Bild”, “Welt TV” and “Politico”. He reassured that Ukraine does not need the weapon system to attack Russian territory, but to destroy Russian military infrastructure on Ukrainian territory occupied by Moscow. “We don’t need a ‘Taurus’ to attack Moscow,” the minister emphasized.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz has so far refused to supply this weapon. The background is fears that the bombardment of Russian territory with German missiles will lead to a further escalation of the conflict and that Germany will be drawn into it.
Finance Minister Christian Lindner has called on EU partners to increase their bilateral aid to Ukraine. “In the end, it cannot be the case that Germany does more financially so that others can continue to do less,” said the FDP leader on Tuesday evening at the Eastern Committee of the German Economy. “We have a common European interest in the sovereignty of Ukraine and we are a European community of values.” The foundation of cohesion is also a fair sharing of burdens. Germany will not waver in its support for Ukraine. “But if 50 percent of all European aid comes from Germany, then there is also the risk of our fiscal possibilities being overextended,” warned the Finance Minister.
Cathrina Claas-Mühlhäuser, chairwoman of the Eastern Committee, also emphasized that Germany should not “wobble” when it comes to aid to Ukraine. Both pointed out that Germany would host a reconstruction conference for Ukraine in June. On February 1st, the 27 EU states want to discuss aid for Ukraine. In addition to military aid, it is also about deciding on the desired multi-year financial aid for Ukraine worth 50 billion euros. In December, Hungary refused to agree to this at the EU summit.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) receives the Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico on his inaugural visit to Berlin today. According to the Chancellery, the two heads of government want to talk at a joint dinner primarily about bilateral and European policy issues. A joint press conference is planned for 6:15 p.m.
Fico’s Smer-SD party emerged as the strongest force in the parliamentary elections at the end of September. In his first official act, the left-wing populist announced a halt to his country’s military aid to Ukraine. Accordingly, only humanitarian and civilian goods should be delivered. Under Fico as head of government, Slovakia supports the EU sanctions against Russia and, unlike Hungary, also supports an EU perspective for Ukraine. However, she rejects joining NATO.
Before the evening meeting with Scholz in Berlin, Fico wants to come to the western Ukrainian border town of Uzhhorod in the Transcarpathians, where he will meet the Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has criticized the slow supply of artillery ammunition. He criticized the ramping up of arms production in Western supporting countries as being too slow. “We appreciate everything we receive, but the scale of the war demands more,” he said in an interview with “Bild”, “Welt TV” and “Politico” in Kiev. Officers and soldiers repeatedly reported to him that Russia was clearly superior in the supply of artillery ammunition, Kuleba said.
One reason for this is deliveries from North Korea to Moscow. “As ridiculous as it may sound, it seems that North Korea is a more efficient partner for Russia than the friends who are trying to supply Ukraine with artillery ammunition.” The EU has promised to procure a million bullets by this spring, but is falling short of this goal.
Russian missile attacks on Tuesday killed 18 people and injured around 130, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He did not break down the information. Until then, Ukrainian authorities had given slightly lower figures.
In Kharkiv, a normal high-rise building in which normal people lived was hit, Zelensky said in his evening video speech. “A normal life is what modern Russia sees as a threat to itself.” But Russia should know that Ukraine has a long arm. “The Russian war will definitely return home – to where this evil came from.”
Conflict parties as a source
In the current situation, information on the course of the war, shelling and casualties provided by official bodies of the Russian and Ukrainian parties to the conflict cannot be directly verified by an independent body.
Sweden is one step closer to joining NATO. Around 20 months after the application was submitted and after repeated blockades, the Turkish parliament approved the country’s entry into the defense alliance on Tuesday evening.
Now President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has to sign the decision again and then publish it in the official gazette. This is considered almost certain – but it is eagerly awaited whether he will complete the Turkish ratification in a timely manner. In addition, the NATO country Hungary still has to officially agree to admit Sweden. All other 29 Allies have already done this.
In view of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, Sweden applied for NATO membership together with Finland in May 2022. Finland was welcomed into the alliance as the 31st member at the beginning of April last year.
Germany wants to supply Ukraine with military helicopters for the first time. NATO has signed billion-dollar contracts for ammunition procurement with companies from Germany and France. An overview of Tuesday’s developments.