Qatar helping to return Ukrainian children from Russia, Denmark boosts aid to Kyiv - Thursday brief
RBC-Ukraine collage
Yesterday, April 25, it became known Qatar was mediating to bring back Ukrainian children from Russia. Meanwhile, the Danish authorities have agreed to increase financing aid to Ukraine.
RBC-Ukraine collected the main news for April 25.
Russia's war against Ukraine: Latest
Denmark allocates almost €600 million for additional aid to Ukraine in 2024
The Danish authorities have agreed to increase funding for the Ukraine Fund, which provides military assistance to Ukraine, by 4.4 billion Danish kroner (590 million euros).
According to the Danish Ministry of Defensу, most of the funds allocated by Denmark to help Ukraine in 2024 were about to run out. However, there was a need for further significant military support for Ukraine this year.
Therefore, the Danish government and parliamentary parties reached an agreement to allocate an additional 590 million euros for 2024.
The Ukraine Fund provides direct military assistance to Ukraine in the form of weapons, other military equipment, and training efforts. Among other things, weapons and equipment are purchased for the Ukrainian Armed Forces from Danish and foreign companies.
Representatives of the Danish government and parliament are considering direct purchases from the Ukrainian industry, provided there are mechanisms for control.
Lithuania can help Ukraine in returning men liable for military service - Defense Minister
Lithuania may help Ukraine in returning men of military age. However, it will first wait to see how this procedure will be carried out in Poland.
Defense Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas admits that Vilnius needs to think about how to help Ukraine return men of military age who have left the country. At the same time, the Minister adds that Lithuania is not yet considering specific measures and is watching what decisions Poland will make on this issue.
“The direction is right. It is probably difficult to say what measures it will turn into. Perhaps, we will have to talk about it specifically,” Kasčiūnas says.
He emphasizes that no one would gather Ukrainian men and take them to Ukraine.
“But (it is possible to restrict these people) in social payments, work permits, documents - these are options, as I hear from the Polish side. So let's wait and see what option they will offer, perhaps it will be suitable for Lithuania as well,” the Minister says.
Condition for Europe's security is Russia losing war in Ukraine - Macron
The security of Europe hinges on Russia not winning the war it is waging in Ukraine, declared French President Emmanuel Macron.
"A prerequisite for our security is that Russia does not emerge victorious in the aggressive war it is conducting in Ukraine. I fully stand by the choice I made in Paris on February 26 to reintroduce strategic ambiguity," he said.
The president emphasized that Ukraine is a necessary condition for European security.
"Do we have any limits? No. And therefore, we must be convincing, restrain, be present, and continue efforts. Therefore, what we need to do, and this is a new paradigm, is to ensure the reliable defense of the European continent," he said.
According to Macron, Europe must give substance to the reliable defense of Europe, which is a prerequisite for restoring the overall security system.
New aid package to be delivered to Ukraine 'as quickly as possible' - US general
The US has promised to send arms from a new aid package for Ukraine "as quickly as possible".
The Pentagon was waiting for the adoption of the bill on additional funding for Ukraine and was focused on planning further steps for a long time. Therefore, the US military department will deliver the necessary arms from the aid package, approved by President Joe Biden, "as quickly as possible".
"As you might imagine that what we do in the Department of Defense is plan and we plan a lot...National defense level has been something we’ve been focused on for a while and seeing that we were getting closer and closer...We’re well postured with the authorities and movement of munitions to Ukraine...So we’re moving out and we’ll get capability to Ukraine as quickly as possible," said General Charles Q. Brown.
Deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia: Qatar helps repatriate four groups of children
The Russian Federation has informed representatives from Qatar about its readiness to return another group of children to Ukraine.
"Qatar has informed that, according to information they received from the Russian Federation, the Russians have agreed to return the next group of Ukrainian children. Through Qatar's mediation, we have already returned four groups of children," said Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights.
At the same time, he noted that he expects that soon the fifth group of children will return through Qatar's mediation.
"I hope that the fifth group will return soon. But I won't mention the number," the ombudsman said.
Zelenskyy reveals what Ukraine wants to discuss during Ramstein meeting
The next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (the Ramstein format) is taking place on April 26. Kyiv wants to discuss the problems that have arisen due to the suspension of American aid.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine is already preparing for the meeting in the Ramstein format.
"We will discuss, among other things, how to quickly overcome the difficulties and problems that have accumulated over the past six months while we awaited decisions on American support," the president explained.
He noted that at the political level, the issue of resuming assistance has been resolved. Now it is necessary for the issues of filling the packages with necessary weaponry and logistics to be addressed.
Zelenskyy thanked all countries that have made new decisions to assist Ukraine during this time.
