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Monday, October 7, 2024

Ukraine, EU to hold summit on Feb. 3 in Kyiv

"The parties discussed expected results of the next Ukraine-EU summit to be held on February 3 in Kyiv and agreed to intensify preparatory work," the statement read.

Ukraine and the European Union will hold a summit in Kyiv on February 3 to discuss financial and military support, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office said in a statement on Monday.

Zelensky discussed details of the high-level meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in his first phone call of the year, the statement said.

“The parties discussed expected results of the next Ukraine-EU summit to be held on February 3 in Kyiv and agreed to intensify preparatory work,” the statement read.

Read more: New Russian offensive in Ukraine, warns NATO Secretary General

The leaders talked about the supply of “appropriate” weapons and a new 18 billion euro ($19 billion) financial assistance programme to Ukraine, with Zelensky pushing for the first tranche to be sent this month, it said.

Last month, the EU cleared the way to giving Ukraine the aid in a so-called “megadeal” that included the adoption of a minimum 15 percent global corporate tax rate.

Read more: Russian foreign minister alleged that hundreds of US troops are deployed in Ukraine

The move followed an impassioned plea from Zelensky not to let internal disputes within the 27-nation bloc stand in the way of backing Kyiv.

Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky said he had received intelligence reports suggesting that Moscow would launch the attacks using Iranian-made Shahed drones.

It comes after Ukraine carried out a strike that it said killed hundreds of Russian soldiers in the Donbas region.

In an extremely rare admission of battlefield losses, Russia said the attack killed 63 of its troops.

Speaking from Kyiv in his nightly address, Mr Zelensky said Russia planned to “exhaust” Ukraine with a prolonged wave of drone attacks.

“We must ensure – and we will do everything for this – that this goal of terrorists fails like all the others,” he said. “Now is the time when everyone involved in the protection of the sky should be especially attentive.”