Russia Ukraine news latest: Moscow ‘arrests’ General Armageddon over Wagner mutiny

Denmark helps EU membership for Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and the western Balkans however “geopolitical circumstances” didn’t justify skating over governance reforms, finance minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has stated.

The EU dangers “importing instability” if it relaxes its requirements on democracy and corruption to hasten the accession of Ukraine and different candidate international locations, Mr Rasmussen informed the Financial Times.

Asked about Ukraine’s membership within the EU, Mr Rasmussen stated that EU shouldn’t “lower the bar” however as a substitute assist Ukraine with investments and help to assist it align with the bloc’s requirements, the FT reported.

Although Ukraine met two of seven situations to launch the EU membership course of, an EU official accustomed to the bloc’s suggestions to Ukraine informed Reuters that some key judicial reforms had been wanted.

In 2019, the European Commission proposed adjustments to the system for letting new international locations into the EU to offer present members extra say, after international locations together with France and Denmark objected to the growth of the EU to incorporate six international locations within the Balkans.

Mr Rasmussen stated Denmark had reversed its place and was even open to inside EU reform, together with extra majority voting, to accommodate new members.

Papal envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi and Patriarch Kirill, the top of the Russian Orthodox Church, will meet in Moscow on Thursday, the state-backed RIA news company reported.

It comes a day after Mr Zuppi mentioned humanitarian points with Vladimir Putin’s overseas coverage adviser, in keeping with the Kremlin.

EU leaders will debate right now the repercussions of the aborted mutiny in Russia as they pledge additional assist for Ukraine in its warfare in opposition to Moscow’s invasion.

At a summit in Brussels, the leaders may even discuss with Nato boss Jens Stoltenberg and talk about what position the EU might play in Western commitments to bolster Ukraine’s safety.

Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas stated the leaders had been sure to debate Saturday’s dramatic deserted mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group, although it’s not on the agenda of the summit or talked about in drafts of its written conclusions.

“It will definitely come up,” she informed reporters in Brussels on the eve of the two-day summit.

The West shouldn’t be swayed and proceed to assist Ukraine and bolster its personal defences, Ms Kallas stated.

Charles Michel, the president of the European Council of EU leaders, struck the same notice.“

Ever extra in these circumstances, we’ll reassert our dedication to assist Ukraine for so long as it takes, together with by sustainable monetary and army help,” he wrote in a letter inviting leaders to the summit.

Residents in Ukraine’s japanese metropolis of Kramatorsk are coping with the aftermath of a Russian missile assault on a crowded pizza restaurant.

Footage exhibits the destruction on the streets of town, that are coated in particles following the lethal assault on Tuesday night.

The strike killed at the very least 9 individuals, together with three youngsters, authorities stated Wednesday, as rescue staff continued looking within the destroyed constructing’s rubble.

Another 56 individuals had been injured, the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs stated.

The US moved on Tuesday to punish corporations accused of doing enterprise with the notorious Russian mercenary military referred to as the Wagner Group, following the group’s revolt try inside Russia’s borders.

The transfer is just not considered particularly associated to the coup, nonetheless, as a substitute being a response to Wagner’s participation in a few of the bloodiest preventing happening inside Ukraine, the place Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion final 12 months.

An announcement from the Treasury Department faulted corporations in Africa and the Middle East for collaborating in a gold-selling scheme in violation of US sanctions to fund the Wagner Group’s ongoing actions. One govt at Wagner, Andrey Nikolayevich Ivanov, was additionally slapped with particular person sanctions on his monetary dealings.

Switzerland is increasing its sanctions in opposition to Russia consistent with the EU’s 11th package deal of sanctions.

“Following today’s amendments, Switzerland’s sanctions list in connection with Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine corresponds to that of the EU,” the Swiss authorities stated in an announcement.

The EU additional tightened present sanctions in opposition to Russia and launched new measures on 23 June, making use of monetary and journey restrictions on 71 people and 33 authorized entities.

Prigozhin’s march on Moscow may have frightened Putin – however the Russian chief survived as a result of no different senior figures joined the decision for change, writes historian Peter Frankopan

Rescuers have pulled one other physique from the ruins of a restaurant in japanese Ukraine’s metropolis of Kramatorsk, taking to 12 the demise toll following a Russian missile strike, Ukraine’s emergency companies stated right now.

Three youngsters had been among the many useless, whereas 60 extra individuals had been wounded, the authorities stated.

The UK in its recent bout of sanctions in opposition to Russia has banned Kremlin-linked people and companies from accessing British authorized experience.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) stated a brand new legislation could be launched right now stopping UK attorneys from advising Russian corporations on sure enterprise offers in a transfer designed to thwart Moscow’s warfare machine in Ukraine.

Officials stated the sanction might influence Russia’s means to acquire authorized recommendation on all the pieces from commerce offers between international companies to worldwide cash lending.

Russia is extremely depending on western international locations for authorized experience, in keeping with the MoJ, with the UK beforehand exporting £56m in authorized companies to Russian companies yearly.

Russian General Sergei Surovikin has been arrested following the Wager Group’s insurrection, the Moscow Times reported, citing defence ministry sources.

The defence ministry is but to formally touch upon the alleged arrest of the final, who has not been seen in public since final Saturday, when Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin launched an armed insurrection in opposition to Vladimir Putin.

“The situation with him was not ‘OK’. For the authorities. I can’t say anything more,” one of many sources informed the outlet.

A second supply stated the arrest was carried out “in the context of Prigozhin”.

“Apparently, he [Surovikin] chose Prigozhin’s side during the uprising” and so they have gotten ahold of him, the supply added.