Day: December 15, 2023
Armenian Foreign Minister has congratulated his counterparts from Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.
” congratulate my counterparts from Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova Ilia Darchiashvili, Dmytro Kuleba and Nicu Popescu and the people of three countries for landmark decisions by the European Council. This is a historic day for the European family, for those sharing democratic principles,” Minister Mirzoyan said in a post on X.
I congratulate my counterparts from #Georgia
, #Ukraine
& #Moldova
@iliadarch, @DmytroKuleba & @nicupopescu & the people of three countries for landmark decisions by #EUCO. This is a historic day for the #European family, for those sharing democratic principles. pic.twitter.com/sFAJ3s0tDL
— Ararat Mirzoyan (@AraratMirzoyan) December 14, 2023
The European Council decided on Thursday to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, President of the Council Charles Michel said.
“EUCO granted candidate status to Georgia. And the EU will open negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is reached and has invited the commission to report by March with a view to taking such a decision. A clear signal of hope for their people and for our continent,” he said on X.
Hungary has blocked €50bn in EU aid for Ukraine – just hours after an agreement was reached on starting membership talks, the BBC reports.
“Summary of the nightshift: veto for the extra money to Ukraine,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said after Thursday’s talks in Brussels.
EU leaders said the aid negotiations would resume early next year.
Ukraine is critically dependent on EU and US funding as it continues to fight occupying Russian forces.
The aid blocking was announced by Mr Orban shortly after the EU leaders decided to open membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova and to grant candidate status to Georgia.
Hungary – which maintains close ties with Russia – has long opposed membership for Ukraine but did not veto that move.
Mr Orban left the negotiating room momentarily in what officials described as a pre-agreed and constructive manner, while the other 26 leaders went ahead with the vote.
A spokesperson for Charles Michel, president of the European Council, said the agreement had been unanimous.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the EU decision on membership talks as a “victory”.
The United States has raised the issue of media crackdown ‘on a number of occasions’ with Azerbaijan, the State Department said on Thursday, TURAN’s Washington correspondent reports.
“I’m not going to speak to any specific engagement, but yes, we have raised this on a number of occasions with them,” State…
The United States ‘welcomes’ Türkiye playing a productive role in resolving conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the State Department said on Thursday, following Turkish FM Hakan Fidan’s visit to Baku, TURAN’s Washington correspondent reports.
“We agree with what the foreign minister [Fidan] said, that peace is possible and we would…
Commando units conduct tactical-special exercises – VIDEO
Commando units conducted tactical-special exercises in accordance with the training plan for 2023.
According to the scenario, the units were put on alert and assigned to neutralize the imaginary enemy group attempting to commit sabotage.
After evaluating the imaginary enemy facility by visual observation of the area and aerial reconnaissance, its military equipment was ambushed and group members were captured.
During the tactical-special exercises held in wood area, all tasks were precisely accomplished.
Commando units conduct tactical-special exercises – VIDEO