On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised that his nation will eventually join the European Union. This statement was made one day prior to the release of a report on Wednesday evaluating the country’s progress towards EU membership.

The European Commission will also discuss the developments of Moldova and Georgia, both candidate countries, in their report.

In June 2022, the EU bestowed candidate status upon Ukraine and specified a set of requirements for acceptance, such as tackling rampant corruption and implementing judicial reforms within the nation.

Zelenskyy highlighted the progress that Ukraine has achieved and recognized the need for further efforts in order to comply with EU standards.

Diplomatic negotiations continued between European countries and Ukraine. The Dutch Defense Ministry announced that the Netherlands has dispatched the first of five F-16 fighter jets to a Romanian air base. These jets will be utilized for training Ukrainian and Romanian pilots.

In August, the United States approved the transfer of planes to Ukraine to support their efforts in the war. The ministry stated that these planes will only be used in NATO air space.

Lockheed Martin, a U.S.-based company, will be in charge of upkeep and training for the warplanes.

On social media, Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to the Netherlands and Prime Minister Mark Rutte for their leadership in supporting Ukraine.

The leader of Ukraine has sought support from his allies in obtaining further military resources. Most recently, he has requested long-range missiles and fighter jets in order to overcome the stalemate on the front line.

The Defense Ministry of Russia reported on Tuesday that they successfully prevented attacks from Ukrainian drones in the Black Sea and the Crimean Peninsula.

The ministry reported that Russian air defenses successfully neutralized nine drones, while eight more were intercepted through the use of electronic methods.

One person was injured by falling debris from a downed drone, according to Mikhail Razvozhayev, the governor of Sevastopol appointed by Russia. He shared this information on the messaging app Telegram on Tuesday.

During his nightly video address on Monday, Zelenskyy expressed his belief that it is “completely irresponsible” to talk about holding elections in Ukraine while the country is at war. He urged for unity in order to avoid unnecessary political debates.

The speaker emphasized the need for defense and battle during this critical time, as the state and its people’s fate are at stake. They also stated their belief that holding elections is not suitable at this moment.

Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of addressing the military challenges that Ukraine is currently facing, as it continues to defend its territory against Russian forces who have occupied almost 20% of the land for over 20 months since their invasion in February 2022.

The current martial law in Ukraine prohibits elections, but Zelenskyy has been contemplating using special measures, such as altering the legislation and receiving foreign aid, to hold them.

He expressed interest in running for a second term if a vote were to occur.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said over the weekend that Zelenskyy was weighing the pros and cons of a wartime poll.

Some people, such as Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, have urged for an election to be held in Ukraine as proof of their efforts to improve their democratic system.

On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Olha Stefanishyna, informed Reuters that Ukraine is expecting a favorable evaluation from the European Union regarding its advancements towards potential EU membership.

Stefanishyna stated that Kyiv has successfully implemented all the necessary reforms. The report set to be released on Wednesday is anticipated to initiate discussions on Ukraine’s entry into the EU, beginning in December.

Stefanishyna stated that the evaluation would undoubtedly be favorable. This is due to our continuous communication with the European Commission, where we have been discussing and negotiating the steps we have successfully implemented.

EU membership talks take years, as candidates must meet extensive legal and economic criteria before joining. The EU, which now has 27 member states, is also unwilling to take in a country that is at war.

Polish truckers, citizens of an EU member state, staged a roadblock on Monday at three border crossings with Ukraine. They are protesting the lack of action from their government regarding the decrease in business due to competition from foreign companies since Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.

According to local authorities, Polish truck drivers are unhappy that Ukrainian transportation companies are not required to obtain permits to cross the Polish border following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The truck drivers’ requests consist of reintroducing limitations on the amount of trucks registered in Ukraine that can enter Poland, as well as prohibiting transportation companies funded by non-European Union sources, among other things.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Warsaw, Vasyl Zvarych, expressed his dismay on X regarding the closure of the border crossings between Poland and Ukraine. He described it as a betrayal to Ukraine, which is already facing aggression from Russia.

On Monday, the highest-ranking military officer in Ukraine announced that his aide, who held the rank of major, died in an explosion caused by a booby-trapped gift he had opened for his birthday.

General Valery Zaluzhnyi announced on Telegram that his close friend and assistant Major Hennady Chastyakov passed away in a tragic incident on his birthday while celebrating with family. According to the statement, an unidentified explosive device detonated from one of his gifts.

According to a security source, Chastyakov’s wife informed Ukrainska Pravda – an online news outlet – that he had brought home a bottle of liquor in the shape of a grenade as a gift. However, when he opened it, it unexpectedly exploded.

The explosion caused serious injuries to Chastyakov’s 13-year-old son.

On Monday, Ukraine initiated a legal investigation into military officials responsible for arranging a ceremony to honor troops, which was struck by a Russian missile resulting in the deaths of 19 soldiers. This was one of the most lethal individual attacks reported by Ukrainian forces.

Sources for this story include The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse.

Source: voanews.com