Zelensky is expected to attend the EU Summit

EU sources did not confirm Zelenskiy’s visit for security reasons, but hinted that such a visit would take place.

Previously, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, had invited Zelenskiy to Brussels, but this visit did not take place.

It is claimed that Zelenskiy will ask EU countries to increase aid, especially military materials such as heavy weapons, at tomorrow’s meeting.

The Elysee Palace announced that Zelenskiy, who visited London today and met British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, will go to Paris tonight, where he will meet French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

At the EU Summit, many issues will be discussed, such as the help to be provided to Ukraine under Zelenskiy, as well as whether accession negotiations with Kyiv will start after the EU bid status.

FREEZE ASSETS

The meeting will also discuss the possibility of using Russia’s assets frozen due to the war for the reconstruction of Ukraine. It is estimated that around $300 billion of Russia’s assets were frozen under the sanctions.

The option discussed includes managing the $300 billion resource with a new mechanism and using the proceeds to be provided to Ukraine. Due to legal obstacles, it is not yet expected that concrete measures will be taken in this regard.

SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA

EU leaders are expected to discuss the new sanctions package, which has already started, at tomorrow’s meeting.

The package, which aims to reduce access to dual-use technologies that Russia can use in warfare, also aims to focus on circumventing or circumventing sanctions.

In addition, some EU countries want Russian nuclear fuel supplies to be included in the scope of the sanctions.

MIGRATION

The issue of migration will also form an important part of the EU leaders’ talks. Noting that the number of irregular migrants arriving in EU countries has increased enormously in recent months, EU officials recall that there has been a large increase in asylum applications and that some EU countries have exceeded its capacity to accept refugees.

There are also issues such as increasing cooperation with countries of origin and transit, accelerating the return of those whose asylum applications are not accepted and strengthening external borders.

ECONOMY

At the summit, on the economy, it will be evaluated what European countries can do in the face of subsidies to green industry in countries like the US and China.

At the summit in December, the EU Commission was asked to prepare proposals for measures needed to support Europe’s competitiveness.

In this context, the President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, presented the European Green Deal Industrial Plan, which they prepared last week to increase the competitiveness of European industry in the field of net zero emissions and support the climate friendly transformation.

The plan included relaxing EU public support rules, redirecting existing EU funds, speeding up green project approvals, channeling worker skills into these areas, and making new trade deals to ensure security of raw materials supply. critical premiums.

Some EU countries want the union to jointly borrow and set up a new fund and support green industries with it. This element was not included in the European Commission’s plan.

10 countries, including Germany, think that a new funding mechanism should not be established and that it will be enough to transfer existing EU funds to the area of ​​green industry. For this reason, the constitution of a new fund for joint indebtedness will be one of the most sensitive issues of the meeting. (AA)