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Wicked Blue's JournalEuropean Parliament Accepts Ukraine's Application to Join EU, Work Remains
Source: Newsweek
The European Parliament, one of the European Union's legislative branches, voted Tuesday in favor of making Ukraine a member of the union.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky filed an application to join the EU just the day before, asking for fast-track admittance due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which entered its sixth day on Tuesday. Being part of the bloc would allow Ukrainians to move freely between the other 27 member nations, which could help the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the country as Russian forces continue to fire upon major cities.
According to Reuters, 637 parliament members voted yes in regard to Ukraine joining the bloc, while 13 voted no and 26 abstained.
Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/european-parliament-accepts-ukraines-application-join-eu-work-remains-1683796
Breaking on Twitter: EU accepts Ukraine application
EU launches special procedure for Ukraine's accession
Trend News Agency
Europe
1 March 2022 17:16 (UTC+04:00)
The European Parliament has accepted Ukraine's application for membership in the European Union (EU), Trend reports referring to the Ukrainian media via the online broadcast of the parliament’s meeting.
According to the media, the MPs have launched a special procedure for the country’s accession.
At the beginning of the meeting, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke and called on Europe to accept Ukraine into the EU.
Zelenskyy reminded that on February 28 he officially signed an application for Ukraine's membership in the organization.
https://en.trend.az/world/europe/3562705.html
Visegrád 24
@visegrad24
BREAKING:
The European Parliament has accepted Ukraine's application to join the European Union.
A special admission procedure has begun.
It is a very important day in European history.
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World Rugby confirms sporting sanctions for Russia and Belarus
World Rugby reiterates its condemnation of Russia’s aggressive invasion of Ukraine and the facilitation of this action by Belarus. The global rugby family is united in standing in solidarity with everyone affected by these deeply disturbing events and joins the global community in calling for the restoration of peace.
The World Rugby Executive Committee has today decided to take immediate additional steps to protect the rugby family and take a strong stance against the conflict in line with recommendations by the International Olympic Committee (IOC):
- The full and immediate suspension of Russia and Belarus from all international rugby and cross-border club rugby activities until further notice
- The full and immediate suspension of the Rugby Union of Russia from World Rugby membership until further notice
The decision has been taken with the interests of rugby’s values of solidarity, integrity and respect at heart. World Rugby also remains in contact with colleagues at the Ukraine Rugby Federation and has pledged its full support to the rugby community in the country.
https://www.world.rugby/news/693011
Australia to spend $70 million on ammunition, small missiles to help Ukraine fight against Russia
ABC Canberra
Scott Morrison has said Australia will send around $70 million to fund military equipment, including ammunition and missiles, and other support to Ukraine to help its fight against Russia.
The government is also putting around $35 million toward humanitarian support to help international organisations responding to Ukrainians fleeing the country and seeking asylum in neighbouring regions.
Mr Morrison announced on Sunday that Australia would help provide "lethal aid" to Ukraine by contributing funds to NATO to bolster weapons shipments into the country.
Today's announcement put a dollar figure on exactly how much Australia would pitch in.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-01/scott-morrison-russia-ukraine-war-weapons-lethal-aid/100871304
Morrison is Australia's prime minister
Russian President Vladimir Putin Accused of Taking Steroids That Cause Aggressiveness in Bodybuilder
By Men's Health UK
28/02/2022
Former foreign secretary and doctor Lord David Owen has accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of taking steroids and said his aggression could be caused by them.
Speaking to Times Radio, Owen said that Putin's changing face shape was a sign that the Russian dictator has been taking steroids, which, he says, are known to cause "aggressiveness" in bodybuilders.
"Look at his face, see how that has changed – he now has an oval face," said Owen. "People who said, 'oh, it's plastic surgery or Botox,' I don't believe that at all."
https://www.menshealth.com/uk/health/a39257659/russian-president-vladimir-putin-accused-of-taking-steroids/
Opinion: Romney is right: MAGA Republicans are 'almost treasonous'
Washington Post
By Jennifer Rubin
Columnist
Donald Trump spent four years (plus a year campaigning) cozying up to and helping further the geopolitical aims of Russian President Vladimir Putin. If Putin had handpicked an agent to be president of the United States, he could hardly have expected better results; Trump certainly exceeded any expectations Putin might have had with his disparaging NATO, extorting Ukraine by withholding military aid, leaving Russia’s election-meddling unpunished, inviting Putin back into the Group of Seven and attacking our own intelligence community. To this day, the defeated former president continues to praise Putin (“smart”), and continues to denigrate the United States (“dumb”) and our allies.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), ridiculed as a presidential candidate in 2012 for identifying Russia as our primary international foe (he was premature but prescient), on Sunday called out Putin’s admirers in his own party as “almost treasonous”:
he divisions within the GOP are stark and becoming unsustainable. In the first group are a tiny handful of Republicans who opposed Trump, supported his impeachment (at least the second one), condemned his assaults on the NATO alliance and denounced his Putin-worship. Other than Romney, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) has remained a consistent defender of democracy and opponent of Trump and Putin — and Cheney has been merciless when it comes to their apologists. (“As Russian forces invade Ukraine, Russian TV features Donald Trump, Mike Pompeo and Tucker Carlson praising Putin,” she tweeted on Friday. “Putin is evil. Every American watching what’s happening in Ukraine should know that.”)
On Sunday, she declared on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that we have seen “impressive progress” with sanctions on Russia and praised the unity of the alliance, while making constructive suggestions for further steps (e.g., freezing out the Russian central bank and sanctioning oligarchs’ families).
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/02/28/treasonous-republicans-romney/
(paywall)
US officials fear the worst is yet to come for Kyiv
By Katie Bo Lillis, Natasha Bertrand and Barbara Starr, CNN
(CNN)Ukrainian forces have so far managed to stave off Russian ground forces massed less than 20 miles north of the embattled capital Kyiv -- but though they've defied US intelligence predictions that the city would likely fall within one to four days of a full-scale Russian assault, US officials warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin could imminently increase the intensity of the attack.
Stiffer than expected Ukrainian resistance and Russia's own logistical missteps have bogged down Russia's advance, US and western officials say, sparking a fragile optimism. The US has also continued sharing downgraded intelligence with the Ukrainians, including about Russian military moves, in an attempt to help Ukraine on the battlefield, two of the sources told CNN.
But intelligence and defense officials closely tracking the Russian campaign say that Putin still holds a number of moves in reserve that could devastate the Ukrainian resistance.
"From a purely military/tactical standpoint, Russia has the manpower and firepower to take Kyiv. No question," said an American source familiar with the intelligence. "And no matter how much resistance the Ukrainians put up."
https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/28/politics/us-kyiv-fears/index.html
Ukrainian pilots arrive in Poland to pick up donated fighter jets
POLITICO
By Paul McLeary
02/28/2022 06:16 PM EST
Ukrainian pilots have arrived in Poland to start the process of taking control of fighter planes they expect to be donated by European countries, a Ukrainian government official told POLITICO.
The potential transfer of older Russian-made planes to be used in combat against Russian forces could be the most significant moment yet in a wave of promised arms transfers over the past 24 hours that includes thousands of anti-armor rockets, machine guns, artillery and other equipment.
It’s not clear just yet what countries are donating the jets, but European Union security chief Josep Borrell pledged over the weekend that the EU would fund the transfer the fighter planes from multiple countries.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/28/ukrainian-pilots-arrive-in-poland-to-pick-up-donated-fighter-jets-00012560
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