President Zelensky Holds Press Conference in Kyiv, the Capital
[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Ahead of the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Europe has unveiled a large-scale package of sanctions against Russia, including doubling the scale of military aid to Ukraine.
On the 2nd (local time), according to the British Guardian and others, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Union (EU) Commission, who visited Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, for a two-day schedule, stated, "We will make Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, pay the price for the brutal war he has waged," adding, "Our goal is to implement the 10th sanctions package by the 24th, the first anniversary of the war."
At a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the same day, von der Leyen announced plans to introduce an additional price cap on Russian oil products together with the Group of Seven (G7). She said, "This is to limit the oil revenues that Russia is using to finance the war." The EU, the United States, and 27 other countries had already introduced a price cap on Russian crude oil on December 5 last year, and from the 5th of this month, the price cap will be extended to include not only crude oil but also oil products.
Von der Leyen emphasized that the losses Russia suffers from the crude oil price cap alone will reach 160 million euros (approximately 215 billion KRW) per day, stating, "Existing sanctions are eroding the Russian economy."
Additionally, she revealed plans to establish an international center in The Hague, Netherlands, to prosecute Russia's crimes of aggression against Ukraine. The purpose of this center is to coordinate the collection of evidence for future trials at institutions such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. Currently, the ICC is investigating war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the invasion of Ukraine, but it does not have jurisdiction over the aggression itself by Russia.
Regarding Ukraine's ongoing anti-corruption policies, von der Leyen said, "I am reassured to see that the anti-corruption agency is on alert and effectively detecting corruption cases," adding, "I commend President Zelensky for his swift political response to ensure that the fight against corruption yields concrete results and is further strengthened."
Furthermore, von der Leyen proposed that Ukraine participate in the EU's joint gas procurement system, stating, "We want to maximize the power of the common market."
President Zelensky demanded that the current EU sanctions, which he described as somewhat sluggish, be strengthened. He said, "Russia is regrouping its forces and preparing revenge not only against Ukraine but also against Europe and the free world," reiterating his request for long-range weapons support.
The Guardian reported that von der Leyen's visit to Kyiv was intended to encourage member states to approve Ukraine's EU membership while strengthening war support for Ukraine. After a scheduled meeting with President Zelensky on the 3rd, von der Leyen is expected to announce additional sanctions against Russia, including doubling the scale of military aid to Ukraine.
Ukraine applied for EU membership on February 28 last year, shortly after the outbreak of war with Russia, and the EU decided on June 23 to grant Ukraine candidate status for EU membership. Ukraine aims to become a full EU member within two years, but it is expected that the actual negotiations and approval processes will take several years.
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