Russia kills four Ukrainians ahead of fourth war anniversary milestone

EU Foreign Ministers Meet in Brussels to Discuss Loan for Ukraine and Sanctions Package Against Russia

In a meeting in Brussels, EU foreign ministers are gathering to discuss a proposed loan for Ukraine and a 20th package of sanctions against Russia. The discussion comes on the eve of the fourth anniversary of Europe’s largest conflict since World War II.

According to local officials, at least four people have been killed in recent Russian attacks in Ukraine. In the Odesa region, two people were killed when Russian drones hit industrial, energy, and civilian infrastructure on Monday night. The attack also damaged production and warehouse facilities, administrative buildings, car dealership premises, and vehicles.

In the southeastern region of Zaporizhia, Russia carried out over 750 attacks on 44 settlements, killing two people in the city of Zaporizhzhia. A missile hit Kharkiv’s Kholodnogirsky district, but casualty figures were not immediately available.

Ukraine claimed to have downed 105 Russian drones, while Russia said it intercepted 152 Ukrainian drones. The EU foreign ministers are also discussing a new loan for Ukraine, worth 90 billion euros ($106bn), which is intended to meet the country’s financial needs until the end of 2027.

The proposed sanctions package includes a ban on maritime services related to exports of Russian crude oil. The European Commission has also proposed additional financial restrictions to further constrain Russia’s ability to carry out international payments to fund economic activities.

Hungary has announced that it will block the loan unless Russian oil exported to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline resumes. This comes after the flow of oil was interrupted by Russian bombing since the end of January. Other EU countries, including Poland and Estonia, have expressed concerns about Hungary’s position on the matter.

Source: Al Jazeera