Sorry to dash hopes of 🇺🇦 media here but the European Parliament deciding not to approve the discharge of the Council budget for 2022 (!) to get 🇪🇺 to send Patriots to 🇺🇦 is and empty threat & pure political theatre. The discharge is the closing of accounts, the cash is spent!

another blow for the 🇪🇺 sanctions regime against 🇷🇺. the 🇷🇺oligarchs Petr Aven and Mikhail Fridman win in EU court. the ruling only applies for the black listing Feb 2022 to March 2023 so they remain under sanctions as the list was renewed earlier this year but bad omen. 🇺🇦

And now there is agreement between Council, Commission and European Parliament as well. 🇺🇦

EU ambassadors will next week have their first proper discussion on the Commission proposal on taking the windfall profits of frozen 🇷🇺 assets. Probably no green light then but idea is still to move fast so that 💶 can come to 🇺🇦 in July .

EU statement on 🇬🇪 draft foreign agents law. Key line: 'Creating and maintaining an enabling environment for civil society organisations and ensuring media freedom is at the core of democracy. It is also crucial to for the 🇪🇺 accession process.'

eeas.europa.eu/eeas/georgia-s…

Clear that 🇺🇦 won’t be happy with this compromise. But worth remembering that it could be even worse if EP and a few member states included safeguard measures for wheat as well. Pertinent reminder how tricky EU accession talks will be - especially the agri chapter

and there is a deal among member states - ATMs for 🇺🇦 to be prolonged by one year. the reference point is the second half of 2021 so 🇺🇦 will lose around 331 million euro in income compared to 2023. European Parliament still need to give green light as well

initial debate today among EU ambassadors this morning on the trade measures (ATMs) for 🇺🇦. there will be a prolongation but the question is how many exemptions will be carved out and what reference points in terms of years. decision this evening.

my latest newsletter on the 🇺🇦🇲🇩 negotiation framework & the European Commission's latest ideas on EU reforms connected to enlargement. Both briefings indicates to me that 🇪🇺 enlargement will be a long & rather tricky process
rferl.org/a/ukraine-mold…

mystery (for me at least) solved: he was listed under the same sanctions regime in July 2023!

the EU's Navalny sanctions now published. 33 individuals & 2 entities. there is one name missing from the initial draft proposal: Arkady Gostev, the director of 🇷🇺 Federal Penitentiary Service.

consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press…

improved language for 🇺🇦🇲🇩 in the #EUCO conclusions. Now says that their negotiation frameworks should be 'swiftly adopted' and for the council to take the work forward 'without delay'

and there is green light for 🇧🇦 - EU leaders agree that accession talks should be opened

Zelenskiy tells #EUCO leaders that the approval of 🇺🇦 negotiation framework 'could greatly support our people and send the right signal to the whole of Europe AFTER the European Parliament elections in June.' So all roads lead to the end of June on this.

Lejla Omeragic Catic Adi Ćerimagić Kroz šta prolazi i šta BiH čeka u budućnosti? Da li se proces mogao pokrenuti i ranije i da li će sada ići bolje - u ZIP-u odgovara i Rikard Jozwiak, urednik za Evropu na RSE.

EU ambassador has just green lighted sanctions on those the bloc seems responsible for the death of #Navalny . 33 ppl and 2 entities. To be published in EU official journal on Friday. 🇷🇺

Latest #EUCO conclusions: 'the European Council decides to open accession negotiations with 🇧🇦. The European Council invites the Council to adopt the negotiating framework once the relevant steps set out in the Commission’s recommendation of 12 October 2022 are taken.'

big blow for the 🇪🇺 sanctions regime on 🇷🇺 as the former F1 driver Nikita Mazepin wins in EU court with the court saying he should be de-listed. He remains listed for now but 🇪🇺 needs to find a new reason for his listing in order for him to remain sanctioned. 🇺🇦

the EU foreign policy chief Borrell will come up with the proposal on the so-called '2nd step' of the windfall profits of frozen 🇷🇺 assets in the coming days. this means actually sending the cash to 🇺🇦. EU member states of course need to green light this

And now this has been endorsed by EU foreign ministers as well 🇺🇦