Ukraine and Moldova are now officially candidates for joining the European Union. This is the conclusion reached by EU leaders at the European Council summit on Thursday, 23 June.

Ukraine and Moldova are now officially candidates for joining the European Union. This is the conclusion reached by EU leaders at the European Council summit on Thursday, 23 June.
European leaders finally reached a consensus on the Commission’s proposed sixth sanctions package in the late evening of Monday, 30 May. The new sanctions include a phase-out of Russian oil by the end of this year, which has been the main point of contention in the negotiations over the past weeks.
In light of the war in Ukraine and the sanctions against Russian oligarchs, the Commission proposed new rules on freezing and confiscating assets on 25 May.
The Council and European Parliament will sign off new rules for Eurojust, the EU’s agency for Criminal Justice and Cooperation, on 30 May, allowing it to store and preserve evidence related to war crimes and process and share it with relevant authorities.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented her plans for a sixth package of sanctions against Russia to the European Parliament on Wednesday, 4 May.
The Russian war in Ukraine yesterday reached its gruesome two-months anniversary. While thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing their country to seek refuge in Western Europe, the EU is trying to stop Russia through a myriad of sanctions.
In the opening session of the European Parliament’s plenary meeting in April, President Roberta Metsola led a minute of silence for the victims of the war in Ukraine and around the world.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola visited Kiev on Friday in an effort to show the Parliaments support for Ukraine. In her speech in front of the Ukrainian Rada she praised the resistance of Ukraine against the Russian invasion and called for further assistance.
According to a draft document by the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, seen by Speaking of Europe, EU leaders will be announcing a shift in its strategy on three vital themes : defence, energy and economy.
The European Commission is launching an EU sanctions whistleblower tool that should increase the effectiveness of the sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. People that are aware of possible violations of any EU sanctions can use the tool to anonymously report them.