live blog
Status: 02/01/2023 03:02
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy continues to fight corruption in his government apparatus. Lithuania calls on EU states to expel Russian ambassadors. All developments in the live blog.
3:02 a.m
Lithuania calls on EU states to expel Russian ambassadors
Lithuania has asked other EU countries to expel Russian ambassadors from their capitals. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told journalists in the Latvian capital Riga that the Russian missions are “in most cases” no longer “a diplomatic institution, but a propaganda institution that covers up war crimes and generally promotes plans for genocide”.
Relations between Lithuania and the other two Baltic states of Estonia and Latvia on the one hand, and Russia on the other, have been at rock bottom since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. There was “no point in having a Russian ambassador in a European capital,” Landsbergis said. Lithuania expelled the Russian ambassador from the country in April 2022 after the massacre of Ukrainian civilians in the city of Bucha became known.
3:02 a.m
Zelenskyj continues to fight corruption
In Ukraine, chair-sharing continues because of widespread corruption. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he has not yet finished reshuffling senior positions and that anyone who fails to meet strict standards faces sacking. “Decisions will be made. And those in the system who do not meet the key demands of the state and society should not rest on their laurels.” Zelenskyj is increasingly taking action against bribery in government circles in order to advance negotiations on accession to the European Union (EU). A summit meeting between EU Council President Charles Michel and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with Selenskyj is planned for February 3rd.