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NEW DELHI, Sept 9 (Reuters) - The European Union castigated Russia on Saturday for its "cynicism" in pulling out of the Black Sea grain deal, saying the offer of a million tons of grain to African countries was a "parody of generosity". "And what cynicism ... you did not accept this," Michel said in comments on the grain deal he directed at the Russian summit representative, Moscow's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "Not only have you decided to pull out of this agreement on the Black Sea, but at the same time you are attacking the port infrastructure," he said. "You are blocking the ports that give access to the Black Sea, and even to the Danube." "What cynicism and contempt for African countries," he said, adding that the Black Sea deal had delivered exports of more than 30 million tons so far, chiefly to the most vulnerable nations.

Persons: Charles Michel, Michel, Sergei Lavrov, Tayyip Erdogan, Fumio Kishida, Erdogan's, Shivangi Acharya, Sarita Chaganti Singh, Mayank Bhardwaj, Manoj Kumar, Ekaterina Golubkova, Clarence Fernandez, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: European Union, Russia, European Council, Moscow's, United, Japanese, Reuters, Thomson Locations: DELHI, New Delhi, Africa, Russia, Russian, United Nations, Turkey, Moscow, Ukraine, Europe, Japan, Kyiv

☆ G20 members struggle for consensus on Ukraine as India gears up for summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] A model of G20 is pictured outside ITC Maurya hotel ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, September 8, 2023. Chinese President Xi Jinping is skipping the meeting and sending Premier Li Qiang instead, while Russia's Vladimir Putin will also be absent. The most important thing that can be done to support global economic growth is for Russia to end its brutal war in Ukraine, she said. The IMF has forecast lower growth for most G20 nations this year than in 2022. It is difficult to predict whether leaders will reach a consensus on a declaration but EU will support efforts made by India for a final communique, Michel told reporters in New Delhi.

Persons: Amit Dave, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Russia's Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Bin Salman, Japan's Fumio, Rishi Sunak, Narendra Modi, Janet Yellen, saidWashington, Yellen, Charles Michel, Michel, Nikunj Ohri, Manoj Kumar, Krishn Kaushik, Aftab Ahmed, YP Rajesh, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, West, U.S, Financial Times, Treasury, IMF, Reuters, YP, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Ukraine, Saudi, Russia, U.S, Moscow

☆ Factbox: Who is attending the G20 summit in New Delhi?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

People stand infront of Nataraja, a statue of Hindu lord Shiva as the cosmic dancer, installed next to 'Bharat Mandapam', the main venue of the G20 Summit, in New Delhi, India, September 7, 2023. REUTERS/Altaf Hussain Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Leaders from the Group of 20 (G20) major economies kick off an annual summit meeting on Saturday to coordinate policy on food security, debt problems of vulnerable countries and climate action. Here is a list of those attending and some key leaders who are skipping the meeting in the Indian capital, New Delhi. G20 LEADERS:ARGENTINA'S PRESIDENT ALBERTO FERNANDEZ AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE BRAZIL'S PRESIDENT LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVABRITISH PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAK CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZINDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI INDONESIAN PRESIDENT JOKO WIDODOITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONIJAPANESE PRIME MINISTER FUMIO KISHIDA SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMANSOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT YOON SUK-YEOLTURKISH PRESIDENT TAYYIP ERDOGAN U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDENEUROPEAN UNION: PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION URSULA VON DER LEYEN AND PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL, CHARLES MICHELSPECIAL INVITEES:BANGLADESH PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH HASINAEGYPT PRESIDENT ABDEL FATTAH AL-SISIMAURITUIUS PRIME MINISTER PRAVIND KUMAR JUGNAUTHNETHERLANDS PRIME MINISTER MARK RUTTE NIGERIA'S PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU OMAN'S SULTAN HAITHAM BIN TARIK AL-SAID SINGAPORE PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG UAE PRESIDENT SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN ZAYEDOTHERS ATTENDINGU.S. Treasury Secretary Janet YellenThe heads of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the World Health Organisation, the World Trade Organisation, the International Labour Organisation, the Financial Stability Board and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. NOTABLE MISSING GUESTSCHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING (represented by Prime Minister Li Qiang)MEXICAN PRESIDENT ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADORRUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN (represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov)Sources: Reuters, officials, state media and domestic mediaCompiled by Aftab Ahmed and Shivangi Acharya; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shiva, Bharat Mandapam, Altaf Hussain, ALBERTO FERNANDEZ, ANTHONY ALBANESE, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, JUSTIN TRUDEAU, EMMANUEL MACRON, OLAF SCHOLZ INDIAN, NARENDRA MODI, JOKO, GIORGIA, FUMIO KISHIDA, FUMIO KISHIDA SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, YOON SUK, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, JOE BIDEN, URSULA VON DER, CHARLES MICHEL SPECIAL, SHEIKH HASINA, ABDEL FATTAH, PRAVIND KUMAR, MARK RUTTE, BOLA TINUBU, HAITHAM BIN TARIK, LEE HSIEN LOONG, SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED, Janet Yellen, XI JINPING, Li Qiang, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ, VLADIMIR PUTIN, Sergei Lavrov, Aftab Ahmed, Shivangi, Sanjeev Miglani, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: REUTERS, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA BRITISH, FUMIO KISHIDA SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN, CYRIL RAMAPHOSA SOUTH, TAYYIP ERDOGAN U.S, OF, EUROPEAN, CHARLES MICHEL SPECIAL INVITEES, ABDEL FATTAH AL, Treasury, United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Health Organisation, World Trade Organisation, International Labour Organisation, Organisation for Economic Cooperation, Development, Foreign, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, BANGLADESH, SHEIKH HASINA EGYPT, NETHERLANDS, SINGAPORE, LEE HSIEN LOONG UAE, MEXICAN, RUSSIAN

☆ EU's Michel says hard to predict if G20 can agree on declaration
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] European Council President Charles Michel attends a press briefing ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, September 8, 2023. REUTERS/Amit Dave Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 8 (Reuters) - It is difficult to predict if leaders of the G20 grouping gathering for a summit in New Delhi this weekend can reach consensus on a declaration, European Council President Charles Michel said on Friday. "It's difficult to predict if it will be possible to have an agreement on the declaration," Michel told a press conference in the Indian capital. He added, "I don't intend to say something that will make the efforts more difficult. Reporting by Manoj Kumar, Chris Thomas; Writing by Shivam Patel; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Charles Michel, Amit Dave, Michel, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Sergei Lavrov, Li Qiang, Manoj Kumar, Chris Thomas, Shivam Patel, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: European, REUTERS, Beijing, European Union, EU, UN, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Ukraine, Russia, China, Moscow, Russian

☆ G20 New Delhi summit 2023: Which countries and leaders will attend?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A paramilitary soldier stands guard outside Le Meridien hotel during a rehearsal ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, September 2, 2023. BRITISH PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAKSunak is expected attend the summit on his first official trip to India as Britain's prime minister. GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZScholz has said the upcoming G20 summit in India remains important despite the absence of Russia and China. SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSARamaphosa has expressed full support for India's G20 presidency while conveying his intent to attend the summit. BANGLADESH PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH HASINABangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to attend the G20 summit in New Delhi, according to Indian media reports.

Persons: Le, Adnan Abidi, JOE BIDEN Biden, Biden, XI, Li Qiang, Xi Jinping, Xi, VLADIMIR PUTIN, Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, Putin, JUSTIN TRUDEAU Trudeau, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, RISHI SUNAK Sunak, KISHIDA, ANTHONY ALBANESE, YOON SUK, YEOL Yoon, OLAF SCHOLZ Scholz, EMMANUEL MACRON, Modi, SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, CYRIL RAMAPHOSA Ramaphosa, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, ALBERTO FERNANDEZ Fernandez, BOLA TINUBU Tinubu, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, URSULA VON DER, CHARLES MICHEL The, SHEIKH HASINA, Sheikh Hasina, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, JOKO, Aftab Ahmed, Shivangi, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Criminal Court, ICC, BRITISH, AUSTRALIAN, SOUTH, Associated Press, SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN, African Union, NIGERIA'S, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA Brazil, OF, EUROPEAN, CHARLES MICHEL The European Union, BANGLADESH, Thomson Locations: Le Meridien, New Delhi, India, DELHI, India's, Ukraine, U.S, RUSSIAN, Russia, South Africa, Africa, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Saudi, SHEIKH HASINA Bangladesh, Bangladesh, MELONI Italy

☆ EU tries to push Azerbaijan-Armenia peace as Russia offers more talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Armenia says the proposed peace treaty should provide special rights for them and guarantee their security. As a matter of priority, violence and harsh rhetoric should stop in order to provide the proper environment for peace and normalisation talks," Michel said. He told reporters: "The population on the ground needs reassurances, first and foremost regarding their rights and security." Besides the EU, the United States has also been pushing the sides to reach a peace deal. This could be followed up with a Moscow summit to sign a peace treaty, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Persons: Charles Michel, Ilham Aliyev, Nikol Pashinyan, Jeyhun Bayramov, normalisation, Michel, Aliyev, Pashinyan, Nailia Bagirova, Philip Blenkinsop, Mark Trevelyan, Frances Kerry Organizations: European Union, EU, Armenian, Azberbaijani, Reuters, Foreign Ministry, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, Brussels, Soviet Union, Nagorno, Karabakh, United States, Ukraine, Moscow

BRUSSELS, June 29 (Reuters) - European Union leaders will on Thursday debate the repercussions of the aborted mutiny in Russia as they pledge further support for Ukraine in its war against Moscow's invasion. Like several other EU leaders, Kallas said the mutiny showed cracks appearing in Russia's leadership. She said she had seen different views on how the mutiny could affect the Ukraine war and the risk Russia poses to the West. The West should not be swayed and continue to support Ukraine and bolster its own defences, Kallas said. Charles Michel, the president of the European Council of EU leaders, struck a similar note.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Kaja Kallas, Wagner, Kallas, Charles Michel, ”, John Irish, Julia Payne, Kate Abnett, Philip Blenkinsop, Jan Strupczewski, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Union, Ukraine, NATO, Estonian, European Council, EU, Kyiv, Diplomats, Peace, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Russia, Brussels, China, Ukraine, Western, France, United States, U.S, Britain, Germany, Vilnius, Lithuania, Kyiv

☆ Nova Kakhova: Critical dam in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine near Kherson destroyed sparking region-wide evacuations
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Helen Regan Jonny Hallam Josh Pennington Olga Voitovych Irene Nasser | Helen Regan | Jonny Hallam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“The Russians will be responsible for the possible deprivation of drinking water for people in the south of Kherson region and in Crimea, the possible destruction of some settlements and the biosphere,” he said. As of 10:00 a.m. local time, 742 people have been evacuated from the Kherson region, the ministry said. “We are helping citizens in the liberated west-bank part of the Kherson region. Around 16,000 people on the west bank of Kherson region are in a “critical zone,” Oleksandr Prokudin, the Ukraine-appointed head of the Kherson region military administration, said. It also supplies water for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which lies upstream and is also under Russian control.

Persons: Moscow’s, Volodymyr Zelensky, “, ”, Andriy Yermak, Charles Michel, Mykhailo Podolyak, Zelensky, Russia’s, Ihor, Oleksandr Prokudin, Nova Kakhovka, Vladimir Leontiev, ” Leontiev, Andrey Alekseenko, ” Alekseenko, Alekseenko, ‘, Natalia Humeniuk, Energoatom Organizations: CNN, Ukrainian, European, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ukraine, Internal, Ukraine’s National Police, Ukraine’s Ministry, Internal Affairs, Novosti, Emergency, International Atomic Energy, Maxar Technologies Locations: Ukraine, ”, Nova, Dnipro, Kherson, Ukraine’s Kherson, Russia, Ukrainian, Kherson region, Crimea, Moscow, Kyiv, Salt, Utah

☆ South Korea, EU agree to boost security ties amid Ukraine, North Korea tension
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SEOUL, May 22 (Reuters) - South Korea and the European Union agreed on Monday to step up cooperation on security amid tension over Russia's invasion of Ukraine and North Korean nuclear threats. He also wants cooperation to curb North Korea's nuclear ambitions. They also criticised North Korea's ongoing efforts to develop its nuclear arsenal and Pyongyang's threats of the possible use of nuclear weapons against South Korea. South Korea is a staunch U.S. ally and hosts some 28,000 U.S. troops. It has also developed a crucial economic relationship with China, South Korea's largest trading partner.

☆ G-7 aims to rein in risks from China, awaits Zelenskyy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to arrive in Hiroshima on Saturday to drum up support for his country's defence effort. The G7 nations are looking to "de-risk, not decouple" from China, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in Hiroshima. In a draft of the final communique seen by Reuters, G7 leaders agreed that China's status as the world's second-largest economy meant they had to continue to cooperate. "We do not seek to thwart China's economic progress and development," the leaders said in the draft, which is subject to change. China has voiced concern that the summit would turn into a "political show" against Beijing.

☆ Europe wants to ban Russian diamond imports. What comes next?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“Russian diamonds are not forever,” European Council President Charles Michel said on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on Friday. Tatyana Makeyeva/ReutersA ban on Russian diamonds could inflate prices for European consumers, especially if diamond production elsewhere doesn’t ramp up. The biggest task facing Europe is how to design an air-tight ban that prevents Russian diamonds from arriving in the bloc through circuitous routes. “There are a lot of Russian diamonds that still get sold within the American economy,” he said. “If you really want to close loopholes, you need to find a system that prevents [Russian] diamonds going to the G7 market,” Neys said.

☆ EU's Michel calls for 'stable and constructive' cooperation with China
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Katya Golubkova | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HIROSHIMA, Japan, May 19 (Reuters) - European Council President Charles Michel said on Friday it was in the EU's interest to maintain "stable and constructive" cooperation with China, as the Group of Seven countries met to consider China's "economic coercion" and other concerns. The EU wants to "de-risk to reduce over-dependencies and diversify to address unfair practices", Michel told a briefing in Hiroshima. "Stable and constructive relations with China is in our mutual interest," he said. Michel called on China to use its influence over its neighbour to end the war in Ukraine. "We call on China to press Russia to stop its military aggression," Michel said.

☆ China-Central Asia Summit: Ukraine war weakens Russian influence
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Xi will present visiting Central Asian leaders with “a series of proposals” on the long-term development of ties and sign agreements, Chinese officials said this week. It is “of great interest to Central Asia nowadays to cooperate with China as one of its important alternative markets,” he added. However, Khitakhunov said, Central Asian leaders would be just as keen to have discussions about trade, investment and joint projects with Western players like the European Union. Central Asian countries have also seen and cracked down on popular protests and unrest in recent years. Like China, Central Asia leaders have typically avoided condemning Russia in forums like the UN, for example abstaining on major General Assembly resolutions calling for the withdrawal of Russian troops.

☆ Leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan to meet May 14 in Brussels -EU
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Annegret HilseMay 8 (Reuters) - The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan are to meet next week in Brussels, the European Union said on Monday, the latest attempt to secure a durable peace accord and resolve longstanding differences over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. An announcement on the EU Council's website said a three-corner meeting with Council President Charles Michel would take place at EU headquarters. Armenia and Azerbaijan, both former Soviet states, have fought two wars over 30 years focusing on Nagorno-Karabakh, recognised as part of Azerbaijan but populated mainly by Armenians. In a six-week conflict in 2020, ended by a Russian-brokered truce, Azerbaijan recovered territory lost in the first war dating from the collapse of Soviet rule. "The leaders have also agreed to continue to meet trilaterally in Brussels as frequently as necessary to address ongoing developments on the ground and standing agenda items of the Brussels meetings," the EU statement said.

Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Kremlin via REUTERS/File PhotoApril 25 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed a decree establishing temporary control of the Russian assets of two foreign energy firms, signaling Moscow could take similar action against other companies if need be. The decree - outlining possible retaliation if Russian assets abroad are seized - showed Moscow had already taken action against Uniper SE's (UN01.DE) Russian division and the assets of Finland's Fortum Oyj (FORTUM.HE). Rosimushchestvo said more foreign firms could find their assets under temporary Russian control, TASS reported. Last October European Council President Charles Michel said the EU was looking at using Russian assets frozen under sanctions against Moscow towards rebuilding Ukraine. Fortum had already warned shareholders there was a risk its Russian assets could be expropriated.

☆ EU leaders will discuss China relation during June summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, April 24 (Reuters) - EU leaders will discuss the bloc's stance towards China and its future relations with the country during their next summit in June, EU Council President Charles Michel said on Monday. "EU-China policy will be on the agenda of our European council in June," Michel said in a post on Twitter. "Foreign affairs ministers will prepare this discussion under the leadership of the High representative Josep Borrell." EU foreign affairs ministers, speaking before a joint meeting on Monday, expressed their dismay over recent remarks by China's ambassador to France, who questioned the sovereignty of former Soviet states such as Ukraine. Reporting by Bart Meijer and Marine Strauss; Editing by Sudip Kar-GuptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

That will be discussed over lunch with Guterres before the U.N. secretary-general takes his leave and EU leaders get an update on the war from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy via video link, officials said. "We will, as always, reaffirm our unwavering commitment to assist Ukraine," declared Charles Michel, president of the European Council of EU leaders. Diplomats involved in preparing the summit of the 27 national EU leaders were sceptical of an imminent breakthrough. AMMUNITIONBeyond food security and sanctions, the leaders will also discuss bringing those responsible for the 13-month war to justice, as well as providing more military aid to Ukraine. "We will need to take measures to boost the manufacturing capacity of the European defence industry," Michel said in his letter inviting fellow EU leaders to the summit.

☆ Georgian protesters rally in Tbilisi after violent clashes with police
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Jake Cordell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The ruling Georgian Dream party say it is modelled on U.S. legislation dating from the 1930s. In violent clashes on Tuesday evening, protesters threw petrol bombs and stones at police, who used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds. Critics say Georgian Dream is too close to Russia and has taken the country in a more repressive direction in recent years. Georgian Dream Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze defended the bill again on Wednesday, saying it would help root out those working against the interests of the country and the powerful Georgian Orthodox Church. He criticised Georgia's "radical opposition" for stirring up protesters to commit "unprecedented violence" during Tuesday's rallies, according to Georgian news agencies.

REUTERS/Tingshu WangHONG KONG/BEIJING/SHANGHAI, March 3 (Reuters) - As unprecedented protests against China's zero-COVID policies escalated in November, Li Qiang, the man recently elevated to No.2 on the ruling Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee, seized the moment. Meanwhile, some local-level party workers and healthcare officials were grappling with growing challenges in implementing the zero-COVID policy. "From my perspective, it's not that we set out to relax the zero-COVID policy, it's more that we at the local level were simply not able to enforce the zero-COVID policy anymore," the official said. In mid-November, when Xi was still in Southeast Asia, he ordered Chinese authorities to "unswervingly" execute the zero-COVID policy, said two of the people, after which some cities retightened curbs. Xi's vacillating led to renewed debate on COVID policy among top leaders during mid to late November, one of these people and another person said.

☆ China's EU ambassador says EU leaders may visit China by mid-2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Chinese ambassador to the European Union Fu Cong said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel may visit China in the first half of 2023, China's state-backed Global Times reported. Preparations for the visit by the EU's top two officials are under way and "very frequent high-level mutual visits" between the EU and China are expected to begin soon, Fu said in an interview published on Friday. The two sides have taken divergent positions on the year-long war in Ukraine, with EU diplomats criticising China's refusal to describe the conflict as an invasion or to call for a Russian withdrawal from Ukrainian territory. Fu said in the interview that EU anger with China over Ukraine was "very irrational" and that China did not want the issue to affect the development of ties with the bloc. Reporting by Eduardo Baptista; Editing by Edmund KlamannOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Zelenskyy completes a tricky charm offensive in Europe as Ukraine prepares for next phase of war
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's president, visited the European headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023. Weapons, weapons, weaponsZelenskyy was direct in his message to European leaders asking for long-range artillery and ammunition, air defense systems, missiles, fighter jets and battle tanks. He pressured EU leaders to start the process this year. He has a sharp focus and is committed to the Ukrainian cause — he is a very sensible man," one EU official said regarding the Ukrainian president. The official working for a Nordic nation said: "Seeing him in person made [an] impact after a year of video addresses."

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy invited to take part in EU summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European Council President Charles Michel speak during EU summit, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine February 3, 2023. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS/File PhotoBRUSSELS, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been invited to take part in a summit of European Union leaders, the EU said on Monday, amid reports he could be in Brussels as soon as this week. Charles Michel, the president of the European Council of the EU's national leaders, invited Zelenskiy "to participate in person in a future summit," a spokesman for Michel tweeted. The next EU summit takes place on Thursday and Friday of this week in Brussels. Earlier in the day, multiple media outlets reported that Zelenskiy could attend the summit and may also address a session of the European Parliament.

☆ Air raid sirens sound across Ukraine as EU summit begins
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Air raid alerts sounded in Kyiv and across Ukraine on Friday as a summit of European Union and Ukrainian leaders was due to begin in the country's capital. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was hosting top European Union officials, who were visiting Kyiv with promises to support Ukraine "as long as it takes" but denying the country at war with Russia a quick path to joining the Western bloc. Zelenskiy was hosting EU chairman Charles Michel and the bloc's chief executive, Ursula von der Leyen, ahead of the one-year anniversary of Moscow's invasion that has devastated cities, killed tens of thousands of people, forced millions from their homes and shaken global food and energy supplies. "The EU will support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people against Russia's ongoing war of aggression for as long as it takes," the three leaders will say in a joint statement, a draft of which was seen by Reuters in advance. Reporting by Max Hunder and Gabriela Baczynska, Editing by Timothy Heritage and Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] Local residents remove debris from a house of their neighbour damaged by a Russian military strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the town of Hlevakha, outside Kyiv, Ukraine January 26, 2023. "It is a very strong signal that we are in Kyiv during the war. Instead of committing to dates, EU officials have listed multiple conditions to join from political and economic stability to adopting EU laws from climate to social to health standards. Ukraine underlined its determination to meet the necessary requirements in order to start accession negotiations as soon as possible," according to the document. Ukraine's calls for long-range rockets or fighter jets will equally be left unanswered by the EU this week.

[1/6] Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attend an EU summit, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine February 2, 2023. The United States and its Western allies stepped up pledges to deliver more weapons to Ukraine in January. Authorities were investigating senior military officials in two separate cases of suspected corruption, officials said on Thursday. EASTERN BATTLEGROUNDThe EU-Ukraine summit coincides with an intensification of Russian pressure on Ukrainian forces in eastern battlegrounds but also in the northeast and south. The refrain from Ukraine officials and military analysts is that the Russians are exploiting the main resource they have - superiority in manpower.

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