New sanctions against Russia

European Council President Antonio Costa has said that Ukraine’s accession to the European Union would be the most important security guarantee for the future of the country.

Costa was speaking at a joint press conference with EU leaders and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he hopes the US will continue to support his country.

“We shouldn’t lose unity between Europe and the US,” he said, adding that Ukraine’s potential membership of NATO or the EU would significantly improve its territorial protection

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, backed this by stating that Ukraine could become a member state earlier than 2030 if Kyiv continues on speedy reforms, saying membership to the bloc is merit-based.

“What I want to emphasise is that if you would just only set a date, then it would also mean the other candidate countries would ask immediately for a date and not a process anymore. But again, I really appreciate the political will that is there. 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,” von der Leyen said.

On the topic of security guarantees, Zelenskyy said discussions were ongoing but not yet public, explaining, “We will discuss, now it’s not for public because we didn’t make a decision, about the contingents and infrastructure for security guarantees… I know the number what we need, of course we will share it, firstly, not in an open conversation, not to prepare Russians for this

Marking the invasion without the US

Marking the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with continuing pressure on the battlefield, Western leaders gathered in Kyiv for commemorative events.

More than a dozen officials attended in a show of solidarity, warning of the war’s implications for global security and pledging ongoing financial support for Ukraine.

Washington, however, did not send any senior official to the occasion.

Costa welcomed President Trump’s efforts to push Russia toward negotiations, saying, “Of course, only Ukraine can decide when there are conditions to start effective, credible, sustainable peace negotiations. All of us welcome the huge effort from President Trump to push Putin and Russia to negotiations

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared this sentiment, underlying Canada’s commitment to Ukraine since 2015.

“First of all, Canada has been there for Ukraine from day one. But for historical reasons, Canada having the second largest diaspora of Ukrainians in the world means that we felt deeply connected to Ukraine, but we also believe deeply that it’s not just about Ukraine. It’s about the rules, and the values, and the principles of sovereignty, of independence, of territorial integrity that protects every country in the world,” he said.

New sanctions against Russia approved

Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers approved new sanctions against Russia. The measures target Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet’ of ships that it uses to skirt restrictions on transporting oil and gas, or to carry stolen Ukrainian grain.

The EU said 74 vessels were added to its shadow fleet list.

Asset freezes and travel bans were imposed on 83 officials and ‘entities’, usually government agencies, banks or companies.

Costa announced plans for an extraordinary defence summit of EU leaders in Brussels on 6 March, with Ukraine topping the agenda

‘We must wake up’ Finnish President says

Finnish President Alexander Stubb also urged European leaders to wake up to get a seat at the negotiation table.

Stubb called on European countries to assume a stronger role in developing a strategy that they could bring to the negotiation table in negotiations about peace in Ukraine. “In the past two weeks, when we have seen a shift in the trans-Atlantic partnership…. we have to wake up to a new reality,” he said at the joint presser.