EU Member States Reach Compromise on Gas Price Cap
President of France Emmanuel Macron (CL), President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Reena (second R), Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez Perez Castejón (second R), President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis (L), Prime Minister October 2022 Olaf Scholz (second row), Germany, and Charles Michel (third row) of the European Council, during the second day of the European Union (EU) Summit held at the European Council Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on March 21. ) will attend.
Dursun Aydemir | Photo by Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
European Union ministers have finalized a long-awaited deal to implement a price cap on natural gas in hopes that it will help homes and businesses weather excessive price increases.
EU member states failed to overcome their disagreements at the last emergency meeting, but last week several EU leaders said they were likely to cap gas prices this time.
After talks in Brussels on Monday, the Czech presidency of the European Council, which represents member states, said an agreement had been reached. Details of the agreement have not yet been disclosed.
Unable to find consensus on a divisive topic, the Czech president chose a “limited majority” voting rule to reach political agreement. Under EU rules, an eligible majority requires that 55% of member states, or 17 out of 27, vote in favor of the proposal. Such votes also require those countries to represent at least 65% of the block’s population.
— Associated Press
Putin arrives in Belarus for talks with Lukashenko
MINSK, BELARUS – DECEMBER 19: (RUSSIA OUT) Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (right) at the Independence Palace in Minsk, Belarus on December 19, 2022 Seen at the welcome ceremony.
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According to Russian state media, Russian President Vladimir Putin has landed in Minsk to meet with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
It was Putin’s first visit to the Belarusian capital since 2019, and it came amid growing concerns that Moscow was pressuring allies to increase their military involvement in the war.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Russian news agency on Monday that he called Belarus Russia’s “biggest ally”, but the suggestion that Russia is trying to pressure Minsk into joining the conflict did He said it was a “stupid and baseless hoax”.
— Karen Gilchrist
British Rishi Sunak in Latvia who met with allies to discuss Ukraine
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets with other members of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in the Latvian capital of Riga. The JEF is a British-led alliance of European forces that share tactical knowledge and conduct joint training exercises to improve interoperability.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (right) attends a bilateral meeting with Latvian Prime Minister Krishanis Kalin (right) during the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Summit in Riga, Latvia December 19, 2022 left).
Henry Nichols | AFP | Getty Images
He will announce a new artillery package for Ukraine and urge other Member States to continue their support to Ukraine. He plans to meet with the British in neighboring Estonia later in the day.
Ahead of the visit, Sunak said in a statement: Ukraineand we once again remain steadfast in our European peace ambitions… I believe that this joint expeditionary force summit will only underscore our close friendship and unwavering support for Ukraine. I know.
JEF includes UK, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
— Natasha Turak
Kremlin dismisses reports Belarus joins conflict
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a proposal that President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Belarus implied Minsk’s increased involvement in the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin presides over a meeting with members of the government via video link at his official residence in Novo-Ogaryovo province, outside Moscow, Russia, December 14, 2022.
Sputnik | Reuters
Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency reported that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the reports were “baseless” and “absurd” hours before Putin’s arrival in the Belarusian capital. rice field.
Putin’s visit on Monday afternoon, his first to a former Soviet ally in more than three years, said the Belarusian Defense Ministry had completed a series of inspections of its army’s military readiness.
— Karen Gilchrist
Zelensky Demands Weapon Systems from the West
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Western leaders in Latvia on Monday to provide a wide range of weapons systems in the ongoing war with Russia in Kyiv, Reuters reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is seen on screen speaking via video link during the plenary session of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in Riga, Latvia, December 19, 2022.
Henry Nichols | Afp | Getty Images
“We ask that you help us increase our chances of supplying our country with air defense systems and expedite the relevant decisions that our partners have to make.”
Western allies, including Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, are meeting in the Baltics on Monday for a British-led grouping.
— Karen Gilchrist
Belarus says military checks completed ahead of Putin’s visit
Belarus’ defense ministry said on Monday it had concluded a series of inspections on the military readiness of its armed forces, signaling a possible shift to a more active role in the conflict, Reuters reported. .
Belarus, an ally of Russia Ukraine In February, we have been conducting a series of military exercises over the past few weeks.
Concerns are growing that Russian President Vladimir Putin will head to Minsk on Monday to pressure former Soviet allies to join a new offensive against Ukraine.
— Karen Gilchrist
Russian ruble hits six-month low
of russian ruble It plunged to a more than six-month low against the dollar on Monday as concerns about lower oil prices and tighter sanctions threatened to hit the country’s export earnings.
The ruble is 2.4% weaker against the dollar, trading at 66.22 around 9:00 GMT on Monday. The fall marks the lowest level for the ruble since May 30.
— Karen Gilchrist
‘Quite serious’ damage from Russian drone attack
This photo shows critical power infrastructure objects on fire after a drone strike on Kyiv amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Sergey Spinski | AFP | Getty Images
The Russian drone strike caused “pretty serious” damage in the Kyiv region on Monday, governor Oleksiy Kubera said, according to Reuters.
Three areas of the region were left without power after Russia unleashed 35 “kamikaze” drones in Ukraine early Monday morning, the governor said.
The attack that destroyed critical infrastructure was a Moscow airstrike on the Ukrainian capital, the third in six days, Reuters reported.
— Karen Gilchrist
