Negotiations will begin for both countries on Tuesday in Luxembourg, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union said on X.

The move comes at a critical time for both nations with Ukraine in the middle of an invasion by Russia and Moldova facing a Russian-led insurgence by a breakaway state.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the European Union for its “robust political will” to begin negotiations with his country despite the current Russian aggression.

“We look forward to next week,” Zelensky said on X. “We congratulate our Moldova friends on this significant step toward our shared European future. We will make the EU stronger together. I am grateful to everyone on our team who worked hard to make this historic step a reality.

“Millions of Ukrainians and indeed generations of our people are realizing their European dream. Ukraine is returning to Europe, where it has belonged for centuries, as a full-fledged member of the European community.”

Moldova President Maia Sandu confirmed on social media that she also signed a decree allowing accession negotiations with the European Union to move forward.

“Becoming an EU member is our path to peace, prosperity and a better life for all citizens,” Sandu said on X. “Wishing our delegation every success as they officially launch negotiations in Luxembourg next week.”

The European Union announced earlier this month that Moldova and Ukraine both met the requirements to join the group. All 27 countries must agree to allow them in. Hungary and its President Viktor Orban are expected to be the main roadblock for both countries.

Orban, who has maintained a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, had criticized Ukraine for its past corruption.

Source : UPI

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s itinerary for his unscheduled visit to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, remains undisclosed.

In an unannounced visit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lands in Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, and gets greeted by Saudi officials, including the national security advisor and ambassador to Kiev, according to reports by the official Saudi Press Agency.

As of now, no details regarding Zelensky’s itinerary have been made public.

In recent weeks, Zelensky has been on a global tour to garner support and encourage attendance for an upcoming summit in Switzerland this weekend. His travels have included visits to traditional European Union allies, as well as countries in the Middle East and Asia that maintain closer ties with Russia.

Argentina’s president to join Ukraine summit in Switzerland

Argentinian President Javier Milei has opted to attend the forthcoming summit in Switzerland, according to reports from the Clarin newspaper.

He will be accompanied by the economy and defense ministers. Initially, Argentine media indicated that Milei intended to skip the G7 summit in Italy and the Switzerland conference, along with other European events, to be in Argentina for national holidays. However, he later revised his schedule to include the G7 summit.

The newspaper reported on Tuesday that Milei has once more altered his plans at the eleventh hour and will also journey to Switzerland. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky purportedly conveyed a special message to Milei, urging him to at least be present at the opening ceremony of the conference.

Argentine Economy Minister Luis Caputo and Defense Minister Luis Petri will accompany Milei to Switzerland, as reported by the newspaper. It is also worth noting that Petri is anticipated to participate in a meeting of the contact group concerning Ukraine’s defense.

Switzerland is set to host a high-level conference on the war in Ukraine at the Buergenstock resort near Lucerne from June 15-16. 90 countries and organizations have affirmed their attendance at the conference.

Source: English

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