The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyenannounced this Thursday that it will be created in Hague a international center for the prosecution of Russian crimes committed in Ukraine.
Von der Leyen is in kyiv to express his military, financial and political support for Ukraine on the eve of the first anniversary of the war.
“The center will coordinate the collection of evidence and will be part of the joint investigation team which has the support of our agency Eurojust”, explained the official.
Likewise, von der Leyen proposed to the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenskythat Ukraine can participate in European cooperation programs as it prepares its long process towards accession to the European Union (EU).
“Dear Volodimir, your strength and determination to enter the EU is Awesome”, Von der Leyen expressed to Zelensky at a press conference, after the meeting that the two held today in kyiv.
“As Ukraine progresses on its path to the EU, we are breaking down even more barriers between our economies and societies. Today we propose Ukraine to join key European programs that will give it benefits in many areas similar to European membership”, announced the president of the Commission, without giving further details.
Along with von der Leyen, about fifteen European commissioners arrived in kyiv today to delve into precisely this cooperation with their counterparts from the Ukrainian government.
The German leader also underlined the work being carried out by the EU to try to guarantee the energy security of Ukraine in the face of Russian bombardments of the invaded country’s essential infrastructures.
“Putin’s incessant bombardments of Ukrainian infrastructure are measured. try subjecting Ukrainians to a brutal winter, with little heating, electricity and water. But we work together, tirelessly, to restore critical energy infrastructure,” von der Leyen noted.
Thus, for example, he announced the delivery of 2,400 new electric generators which are in addition to the 3,000 that the EU has already given to Ukraine since the beginning of the war, on February 24 of last year, as well as the supply of 30 million led bulbs.
He also said that the EU, together with the countries of the Energy Community – which also includes the Balkans, Turkey and Moldova, of which Ukraine is also a part – will give kyiv €150 million (163 million dollars) so that it can buy energy equipment.
A help that adds to the 50,000 million euros (54,000 million dollars) that Brussels and the EU countries have already given to Ukraine between military material, macro-financial aid for the reconstruction of the country and the daily functioning of the State in the middle of the war and aid for refugees.
While the vast majority of members of the European Commission traveled to kyiv to deepen cooperation with Ukraine, the European Parliament today approved a declaration in Brussels urging to start work so that Ukraine becomes in the future Member state.
MEPs reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine’s entry into the EU, but make it clear that accession is “a merit-based process, conditional on meeting established criteria and requiring the adoption and implementation of relevant reforms.”
(With information from EFE)
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Source-www.infobae.com