KYIV, Ukraine — The seven Nordic and Baltic countries will train and equip a brigade of the Ukrainian army of between 3,000 and 5,000 soldiers, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said. Additionally, Norway will offer the equivalent of $11.2 million to strengthen Ukraine’s and Moldova’s energy systems.

KYIV, Ukraine — The head of the European Union's executive branch, Ursula von der Leyen, has praised Ukraine's progress toward membership of the bloc and has held out the possibility of entry before 2030.

She emphasized that the process of EU accession was “merit-based,” and that candidates must comply with conditions and enact reforms.

Still, she continued, “I would even say Ukraine’s merit-based process, if they continue at that speed and at that quality, perhaps they could be earlier than 2030.”

Russia adamantly opposes Ukraine joining either the EU or NATO.

KYIV, Ukraine — Lithuanian Prime Minister Gitanas Nauseda said that even though neither a peace nor a ceasefire had yet been reached, his country and others in Europe would have to grapple with whether there would be popular support for European peacekeeping forces stationed in Ukraine to uphold any future peace agreement.

“We need clarity about the mandate of such forces on the soil of Ukraine,” he said.

In the event of an eventual ceasefire, Nauseda said enforcement was vital.

“The force must be real. The first time the peace is violated or a ceasefire is violated, the retaliation must be immediate and strong,” he said. “Otherwise we compromise and we discredit the very concept of the security guarantees.”

KYIV, Ukraine — The G7 group of leading industrialized nations is holding a virtual summit Monday to discuss ways of bringing an end to the war in Ukraine. During his speech, Zelenskyy appealed to Trump for continued U.S. support.

“President Trump, we would really like to hear from you because all our people, all our families are very worried – will there be support from America? Will America be the leader of the free world? And I want to be very honest, very honest with you… For our people, for life in general, it is so important that American support, American assistance remains,” he said.

Tensions between Kyiv and Washington have risen recently. However, Zelenskyy said the two sides were “working productively on the economic agreement” on rights to Ukraine’s valuable rare earth minerals.

He argued for allowing Ukraine to join NATO, a move the Trump administration opposes, saying it was the “most cost-effective” path.

“If Ukraine remains outside NATO, it will be a much more expensive and complicated path for everyone because NATO provides the simplest and most cost-effective security guarantees. In that case, Ukraine will need more air defense systems, more financial support, and a strong military presence to keep Russia in check … Security guarantees are needed for peace to prevail,” he said.

KYIV, Ukraine — Finnish President Alexander Stubb urged European countries to take a more muscular role in developing a strategy for negotiations over Ukraine.

“In the past two weeks, when we’ve seen a shift in the trans-Atlantic partnership … we have to wake up to a new reality,” he said.

“I think we in Europe, we need to get our act together,” he said. ”You have to have a plan to (take to) the Americans, because if you don’t have a plan to (take to) the Americans, you’re not getting involved in negotiations, and right now the negotiations are happening above our heads without any kind of a planning strategy.”

KYIV, Ukraine — “We hope that we can finish this war this year,” Zelenskyy said, reflecting on the toll the conflict has taken on his country and its soldiers on the front line.

Still, he said, preventing renewed aggression from the Russians after a cessation of fighting will require Ukraine and its allies to “put them to their place, to their territory,” and to create a security infrastructure that will act as a deterrent.

“If Ukraine will be in EU and NATO in closest years, of course it will help us very much, and I think that they will not come back,” he said.

“We will have a strong army and strong allies and strong unity, to my mind, because (Russia) will never forgive the world that they didn’t win.”

KYIV, Ukraine — Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal warned that an “unjust peace” in Ukraine would threaten Europe and the broader world by demonstrating to other actors around the globe that aggression such as Russia’s is tolerated.

“An unjust peace probably would hit everybody, also the United States, because Iran, North Korea, everybody would assess that they can do whatever they want," said Michal, whose country borders Russia.

KYIV, Ukraine — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said any discussion of providing sanctions relief to Russia could only begin once Moscow has demonstrated that it is committed to working with Western countries on achieving a lasting peace.

“These sanctions are part of our approach that we want peace through strength,” she said at a conference in Kyiv with Western leaders. “It’s very clear that unless Russia demonstrates by facts the true willingness to achieve a lasting and just peace agreement, we will increase punitive sanctions against Russia.”

EU Council President Antonio Costa said European leaders welcomed Trump's effort to push Putin and Russia to negotiate.

But, he added, “only Ukraine can decide when we have conditions to do this.”

LONDON — Britain has imposed sanctions on 107 businesses and individuals in what it calls its biggest package targeting Russia’s war machine since the early days of the conflict.

The measures target Russia’s military supply chains, including companies in several countries — notably China — that Britain says are supplying machine tools, electronics and dual-use goods for Russia’s military.

Fourteen wealthy Russian businesspeople get asset freezes and travel bans, including billionaire Roman Trotsenko.

The U.K. is seeking to squeeze the Kremlin’s finances by sanctioning a bank in Kyrgyzstan and 40 ships in the “shadow fleet” of vessels carrying Russian oil around the world.

The sanctions also target defense officials in North Korea, which has sent thousands of troops to fight alongside Russia against Ukraine.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — The governments in Sweden and Denmark have pledged more support for Ukraine as the Trump administration calls for Europe to spend more on its own defense.

The Swedish government said it will spend the equivalent of some $11.2 million on Robot 70 and Tridon Mk2 air defense systems to be donated to Ukraine. Sweden will contribute to a donation by some countries of portable air defense missiles.

Denmark has pledged an equivalent of $280 million in ammunition for Ukraine.

TALLINN, Estonia — Estonia will never recognize borders that have been shifted by force, Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said.

Pevkur was also speaking to mark Estonia’s independence day.

“Let it be reaffirmed that Estonia will never recognize borders moved by tanks and missiles, and Estonia will help Ukrainians fight for their land and people, because the values ​​that Ukraine is currently fighting for are directly related to our values ​​and freedoms,” Pevkur said in Tallinn’s Freedom Square.

KYIV, Ukraine — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said his country would provide a 1 billion-euro ($1.05 billion) military systems package to Ukraine this year. He said Ukraine’s accession into the EU would be “the most important victory for the Ukrainian people.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said NATO defense spending goals of 3% of gross domestic product were “simply not enough.” She said that European leaders have “a couple of months to take all necessary decisions, otherwise it will be too late."

LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Ukraine must have a seat at the table in any peace negotiations and strong security guarantees in any settlement, and reaffirmed that Britain is prepared to put troops on the ground as part of that process. He repeated his call for a U.S. backstop that “will be vital to deter Russia from launching another invasion in just a few years’ time.”

However, President Trump has so far shown little interest in the idea.

ANKARA, Turkey — Lavrov insists that Ukraine must be barred from NATO membership as part of the talks to end the war in Ukraine.

“Ukraine’s absolute non-accession to NATO is also a must. There must be a clear, iron-solid agreement on this," Lavrov said. "At the meeting in Riyadh with our American colleagues, we welcomed the fact that President Trump has publicly and repeatedly called the line on pulling Ukraine into NATO a mistake.”

In July, a NATO summit declaration said Ukraine was on an “irreversible” path to membership in the alliance. But in Brussels earlier this month, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said NATO membership for Ukraine was unrealistic and suggested Kyiv should abandon hopes of winning all its territory back from Russia.

KYIV, Ukraine — The destinies of Ukraine and the European Union are at stake in discussions over how the war can end, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

“The autocrats around the world are watching very carefully whether there’s any impunity if you violate international borders or invade your neighbor, or if there is true deterrence," she said.

Von der Leyen said securing Ukraine’s sovereignty would prevent future wars, and its “highly innovative and thriving defense industry” should be integrated into EU defense, with Ukraine as a member of the bloc.

Von der Leyen said she would present a “comprehensive” investment plan that would ramp up arms production and defense capabilities for the EU and Ukraine at an emergency meeting of EU leaders on March 6.

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has voiced support for U.S. efforts to end the war in Ukraine and renewed a long-standing Turkish offer to mediate in negotiations.

“We attach great importance to the new initiative of the United States, as a result-oriented approach," Fidan said at a joint news conference with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

Lavrov, who met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh last week, said Russian and U.S. officials would soon hold comprehensive consultations toward the “normalization of embassy operations” in Moscow and Washington.

Turkey has balanced its close ties to both Ukraine and Russia and positioned itself as one of the few countries that can hold talks with both sides. It hosted peace talks in 2022. No agreement was reached.

ANKARA, Turkey — Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Putin has made clear that Russia is “ready to negotiate with both Ukraine and Europe” but will stop military hostilities only when negotiations yield a “firm, sustainable result” which suits Russia.

Lavrov suggested the position of Ukraine and European countries is changing frequently and that “against this background, the position of the United States stands out.”

KYIV, Ukraine — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has praised President Zelenskyy's “remarkable personal bravery, resilience and resolve.”

Trudeau also pushed back on Russia's narrative, echoed in recent days by U.S. President Donald Trump, that Ukraine bore responsibility for igniting the conflict.

“This is a war started for one reason and one reason only: Russia’s desire to erase Ukrainian history and expand their empire," Trudeau said.

KYIV, Ukraine — Finnish President Alexander Stubb says that “we will see a European Ukraine. We will see eventually Ukraine in NATO."

He also said Europe needs “to make clear to the Russians and everyone else that there are a few things that are completely off the table in these negotiations" to end the war in Ukraine. They include EU membership and NATO membership.

Stubb said the “European security order” already in place should remain steadfast.

MOSCOW — Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia does not see any way to resume “dialogue with Europe” after the EU adopted its 16th round of sanctions against Moscow.

Peskov said that contrasts with searching for ways to resolve “the conflict around Ukraine, which is what we are currently doing with the Americans." He welcomed “attempts by Washington to really understand what was the root cause of this conflict.”

BRUSSELS — European Union foreign ministers have approved new sanctions against Russia which enter force on the third anniversary of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

They include measures targeting Russia’s so-called “ shadow fleet ” of ships that it exploits to skirt restrictions on transporting oil and gas, or to carry stolen Ukrainian grain. The EU said 74 vessels were added to its list.

Asset freezes and travel bans were imposed on 83 officials and entities. More than 2,300 officials and entities have been hit since the invasion began, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

02/24/2025 11:47 -0500

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