Washington and its partners are considering additional sanctions if the parties do not observe a ceasefire, with political and technical negotiations between Europe and the U.S. intensifying since last week, Reuters' source said.
The Kyiv Independent’s contributor Ignatius Ivlev-Yorke spent a day with a mobile team from the State Emergency Service in Nikopol in the south of Ukraine as they responded to relentless drone, artillery, and mortar strikes from Russian forces just across the Dnipro River. Nikopol is located across from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Enerhodar.
Peter Szijjarto's announcement came after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) allegedly dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast.
Moscow and Washington discuss the potential resumption of Russian gas supplies to Europe, among other issues related to the peaceful settlement of Russia's war in Ukraine, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed to the Russian state-run Interfax news agency.
"This is a historic decision, as weapons for Ukraine will be purchased at the expense of the proceeds from frozen Russian assets through the European Peace Fund," Denys Shmyhal said.
The approval marks a key step in international efforts to hold Moscow accountable for what is considered the gravest violation of international law committed against Ukraine.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is talking to the media at the end of a European Union leaders summit at the European Council headquarters on Feb. 10, 2023, in Brussels, Belgium. (Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)
Italy is prepared to send up to five fighter jets to Ukraine if other Western allies start doing so, the Italian newspaper la Repubblica reported on Feb. 20.
According to the article, Italy does not want to be the first ally to send fighter jets "for political reasons," adding that this strategy will give the impression that Italy is compelled to follow the lead of the allies.
On Feb. 16, the European Parliament called on EU member states to contemplate providing fighter jets, helicopters, missile systems, and additional ammunition to Ukraine.
Western allies have approved the provision of advanced tanks to Ukraine, but they have largely remained hesitant to transfer aircraft due to fears of escalating tensions with Russia. For now, most allies are sticking to voicing their openness to sending fighter jets at some point in the future.
On Feb. 19, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said that the training of Ukrainian pilots on Western fighter jets in France had not been ruled out.
Speaking of the possible delivery of fighter jets to Kyiv, Lecornu said on Feb. 19 that "there are no taboos for France in the matter."
However, as he told Le Parisien, the transfer of this aircraft "raises very complex logistical and practical issues."
At the Munich Security Conference on February 17, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stated that Poland is not considering providing F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Nonetheless, he conveyed the country's readiness to cooperate with other NATO member states to offer alternate fighter jets.
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