UN approves resolution on peace in Ukraine, US abstains

Four years on from 'the unjustified and brutal Russian aggression against Ukraine', the Italia government, in a note released by Palazzo Chigi on the participation of Prime Minister Meloni in the Call of the Volunteers, 'renews its solidarity and closeness to the Ukrainian institutions and people'. "In these four years of the Ukrainian people's struggle to defend their freedom and independence, Italia has always ensured its constant and convinced support together with its European and Western allies. Italia is contributing with determination to international efforts to promote a just and lasting peace. In this perspective, the government supports and accompanies the negotiation process promoted by the United States and participates in the activities of the Coalition of the Willing for the definition of solid security guarantees for Ukraine'. According to leaks from Palazzo Chigi, Prime Minister Meloni emphasised the need for Europe to be present and speak with one voice, and to be represented by a person who can take part in the negotiations with Russia and in the other post-war talks in Ukraine. Meanwhile, in Rome, Minister for Relations with Parliament Luca Ciriani put the question of confidence on the Ukraine decree in the Senate on behalf of the government. The vote on the text, without amendments or additional articles, is expected tomorrow. The measure has already been approved in the House, also there with confidence.

On the fourth anniversary of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, EU leaders are in Kiev. "Russia has not achieved its military objectives in Ukraine. Failing to advance on the battlefield, it deliberately targets Ukrainian civilians and critical infrastructure, including energy facilities, hospitals, schools and residential buildings, in the midst of a harsh winter. The Ukrainians remain extraordinary in their steadfastness, determination and resilience,' Ursula von der Leyen, Antonio Costa and Roberta Metsola said in a joint note. "Putin's war of attrition is progressively weakening Russia and we are determined to further increase the pressure for Moscow to end its aggression and engage in meaningful negotiations towards peace," they add.

On her tenth visit to the Ukrainian capital, Von der Leyen calls for 'peace on Ukraine's terms' and reaffirms that 'Europe stands firmly by Ukraine's side, financially and militarily, even during this harsh winter' and emphasises 'our unwavering commitment to Ukraine's just struggle'. Finally, she is in Kiev 'to send a clear message to both the Ukrainian people and the aggressor: we will not give in until peace is restored'.

Asked to clarify what she thinks about Ukraine's application to join the EU by 2026, von der Leyen avoided going into the merits of the deadline, pointing out that it is a "benchmark" for Ukraine and that in any case she is confident: "The country is on track to become an EU member, the progress in reforms is enormous, not least because of the speed with which they are being carried out despite the ongoing war," she said. Adding that "the speed depends on the candidate country joining the EU, from our side the support is full".

Commission President von der Leyen went on to say that what was agreed on the loan to Kiev must be implemented: "The 27 have given their word and cannot go back on it: we have to decide one way or another, we have several options and we will use them". Von der Leyen referred to the Hungarian veto on the implementation of the agreement sanctioned by the heads of state and government in December. She did not detail the options she referred to. EU foreign affairs 'minister' Kallas yesterday spoke of the possibility of using Russian assets frozen by the sanctions, however it is a solution that has not been vetted by the 27 leaders so it is unlikely to be the solution.

Also according to Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky, Vladimir Putin 'has failed, he has not achieved his war aims'. Kiev "will do whatever it takes to achieve a solid and lasting peace," the Ukrainian leader said. "We Ukrainians are exhausted by the war and would like to end it as soon as possible, but if we give Putin everything he demands we will have lost everything," Zelensky said in an interview with CNN, adding that this is not an option. To the Financial Times Zelensky said: 'They are playing with Trump and they are playing with the whole world. Putin thinks he looks convincing and can be trusted. No, he is a bad actor'. In the FT interview Zelensky calls it 'short-sighted' to believe that the war will end with the Ukrainian withdrawal from the Donbass, because Moscow 'cannot be trusted', pointing out that on territorial concessions there is 'more pressure on Kiev than on Moscow'. Zelensky, this time to CNN, then called on the US president to 'stand by Ukraine'.

MEPs from the 5 Star Movement and Roberto Vannacci were the only Italians to vote against the Eurocamera resolution in support of Ukraine, voted in the Chamber after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's video-linked speech from Kiev. Instead, the MEPs of the League, Avs and Marco Tarquinio of the PD abstained. In favour were the delegations of FdI, FI and PD and Elisabetta Gualmini, who recently switched to Azione.

After the Ukrainian president's intervention, Kiev's Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced that, in parallel with the peace negotiations, Ukraine had prepared a war plan comprising three key areas: strengthening air defence, stopping Russian troops, and depriving Russia of economic resources to continue its aggression.

"Every day, every Ukrainian thinks about one thing: when will the war end. We want peace more than anyone else in the world. The president, the negotiating team and diplomats work every day to bring it closer. But Russia continues to fight because it believes it can break us by force and resources. Therefore, the president has assigned a clear task to the Defence Ministry team: in parallel with diplomacy, strengthen defence so as to force the enemy into peace,' Fedorov wrote on his Telegram profile.

Outlining the three Ukrainian defence goals, Fedorov specified that the first goal is to strengthen air defence to protect civilians and critical infrastructure. The Ukrainian Defence Ministry stated that Ukraine aims to detect all air threats in real time and intercept most missiles and drones. To this end, it is creating a multi-layered air defence system and intensifying the use of interceptors.

The second goal is to stop Russian forces on land, at sea and in cyberspace. "The enemy pays for every kilometre of Ukrainian territory. In the Donetsk region - 156 soldiers per square kilometre,' Fedorov noted. The third goal is to deprive Russia of economic opportunities to continue the war. The department noted that the main source of funding for Russian aggression is oil export revenues, in particular through the so-called shadow fleet. Ukraine plans to strengthen sanctions, coordinate actions with partners and is developing a strategy to counter this mechanism.

The diplomacy of European countries wanted to send its own message. "The Europeans have a clear plan: a just peace in Ukraine". That is why they are ready to 'increase the pressure on Russia', while the will to support Kiev remains 'unshakable'. This is what the E3 foreign ministers, German Johann Wadephul, French Jean-Noel Barrot and Polish Radoslaw Sikorski, write in a joint intervention in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion. In their message entitled 'Europe is out of breath', they state: Putin's plan has 'resoundingly failed', NATO is 'more united than ever', and Europe is 'stronger and more resilient'.

Russia is not backing down. "The objectives" of the Russian military intervention in Ukraine "have not been fully achieved", and therefore "the special military operation continues", said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by Russian agencies. Russia also argues that it is impossible to resolve the conflict in Ukraine without addressing the issue of NATO expansion towards the Russian borders, which Moscow points to as one of the main causes of the war. This was stated by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova to Russian agencies. "The uncontrolled expansion of the Alliance's geopolitical space to our borders, including Ukraine, has become one of the root causes of the conflict," Zakharova said, adding that "without its elimination, a solution to the crisis is impossible."

While the 20th EU sanctions package against Moscow stalls over the opposition of Hungary's Orban, Keir Starmer's British government announces yet another sanctions package against Russia on the fourth anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine. A total of 300 new measures are evoked, against companies and individuals in the energy and oil sectors in the supply of 'military equipment' for Moscow's forces. In the crosshairs are Russia's 'crucial' oil exports and the oil pipeline giant Transneft, 'responsible for 80 per cent' of oil exports as part of what is described as the Kremlin's 'desperate efforts to find buyers for its crude' already sanctioned by the West.