Russia Ukraine War Crisis Live: With the war in Ukraine’s east raging on, Kyiv received a major boost, when the European Union recommended that it become a candidate to join the bloc, in what would be a dramatic geopolitical shift following Russia’s invasion. EU membership is not guaranteed — talks have been stalled for years with Turkey, a candidate since 1999. If admitted, Ukraine would be the EU’s largest country by area and its fifth most populous.
Russian President Vladimir Putin railed at the West, the United States in particular, in a speech in St Petersburg on Friday, but sought to play down the EU issue. “We have nothing against it,” he said. “ It is not a military bloc. It’s the right of any country to join economic union.” However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia was closely following Ukraine’s EU bid. Especially in the light of increased defence cooperation among the 27-member bloc.
Ukrainian officials said their troops were still holding out in Sievierodonetsk, in neighbouring Luhansk province and scene of the worst recent fighting. But it was impossible to evacuate more than 500 civilians trapped in a chemical plant due to shelling and heavy fighting.