(Bloomberg) – The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson will deliver a virtual address to the Ukrainian Parliament on Tuesday, comparing the struggle of the Eastern European country with that of Great Britain during the Second World War. His government has also announced a new 300m-pound ($ 375m) military aid package for Ukraine.
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The European Union has agreed to provide more detailed guidance in the coming days on what companies can and cannot do under EU sanctions rules to respond to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands to pay for gas in rubles.
A U.S. defense official said Russia had made limited progress in shifting its war to the Donbass region, adding that Putin’s troops continued to suffer from low morale, imperfect logistics and aversion to casualties.
(See RSAN at Bloomberg’s terminal for the Russian sanctions dashboard.)
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Johnson to address Ukrainian parliament (1:40 p.m.)
Johnson plans to appeal to Ukraine’s parliament as his government announces 300 million pounds in military aid. The British Embassy is also preparing to open in Kyiv.
According to prepared notes published by the Prime Minister’s Office, Johnson will repeat in his virtual speech the words of Winston Churchill: “This is the best hour of Ukraine, an epic chapter of your national history that will be remembered and told for generations to come. ”
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The United Kingdom will also provide “specialized vehicles for the civil protection of Ukraine,” said Johnson’s office. The prime minister personally visited Kyiv last month.
Draghi seeks EU guidance on gas payments (22:50)
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said creating a ruble account to pay for Russian gas, as Putin demanded, would be a breach of the treaty.
“It is very important for the European Commission to give a clear legal opinion if paying in rubles is a violation of sanctions,” Draghi told a news conference on Monday. He called for clearer instructions from the EU, as Italy must make payments in about two weeks, adding that Italy would adhere to EU guidelines.
EU sees Africa as potential gas supplier (22:25)
The European Union will seek to step up co-operation with African countries to help replace Russian natural gas imports and reduce dependence on Moscow by almost two-thirds this year.
Countries in Africa, especially in the western part of the continent, such as Nigeria, Senegal and Angola, offer much untapped potential for liquefied natural gas, according to a draft EU document seen by Bloomberg News. The Communication on External Energy Commitment is expected to be adopted by the European Commission later this month as part of a package to implement the bloc’s plan to reduce energy dependence on Moscow.
Scholz does not plan to travel to Kyiv after the pressure (21:34)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he did not plan to visit Kyiv at the moment, after the proposed trip of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was blocked by Ukraine last month, which was deemed negligible.
“This is a hindrance,” Scholz said in an interview with public broadcaster ZDF on Monday. He added that it was unacceptable for Ukraine to reject the president’s visit to a country like Germany, which had provided so much military and financial assistance.
Steinmeier has been widely criticized – including by Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany – for his past support for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany and for his role as foreign minister in promoting reconciliation and dialogue with Moscow.
Pentagon says Russians have low morale, wrong logistics (19:07)
Russia’s progress in the Donbass region is minimal at best, a U.S. defense official told reporters, saying Putin’s troops continue to suffer from low morale, imperfect logistics and aversion to casualties.
The official also said Russian forces had been pushed 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Kharkiv.
Separately, former CIA Director David Petraeus said Russia was hampered in its efforts by a shortage of equipment and personnel without a quick solution as the war dragged on. That means there is now a reassessment of whether Ukraine must fight to regain everything lost by the Russians since the start of the war, the retired general said in an interview with David Westin on Bloomberg’s Balance of Power.
The EU will issue more guidelines on the demand for rubles for gas (18:50)
The EU will provide more detailed guidance in the coming days on what companies can and cannot do under EU sanctions rules to respond to Russia’s demands to pay for gas in rubles, the bloc’s energy commissioner Kadri Simson said. . She told reporters that the companies needed clarity that the Kremlin’s mechanism “is a violation of sanctions and cannot be adopted.”
Barbara Pompili, France’s environment transition minister, said all member states have indicated they will adhere to EU gas payment guidelines. Hungary, which is heavily dependent on Russian energy, has previously suggested it is open to paying in rubles to ensure uninterrupted supplies.
The war strengthens the attractiveness of the euro to Czech business (16:15)
The market turmoil caused by the war in Ukraine is increasingly forcing Czech businesses to give up the euro krona, with industry leaders taking the opportunity to pressure the reluctant government to adopt the single currency.
Wealthy nations seek coal deals (16:10)
As they prepare for the next round of global climate talks in November, officials from rich countries are trying to raise a series of multibillion-dollar packages to help poor countries give up coal.
But negotiations have been hampered by national politics and the Russian war in Ukraine, which has turned the dirtiest fossil fuel into a lucrative commodity for export and export, according to people familiar with the talks.
Poland calls for embargo on Russian oil and gas (15:07)
Poland supports a ban on Russian oil and will call for a gas embargo, preferably at the same time, Climate Minister Anna Moscow told reporters ahead of a ministerial meeting in Brussels. To encourage skeptical nations to end their dependence on fossil fuels from Moscow, Poland wants to propose a special mechanism, similar to the carbon market, for energy sources imported from Russia.
Such a system would set a date on which Russia’s use of energy sources should be zero. Each Member State will receive a quota for fossil fuels that it can import, and those who want to use more will have to buy permits to do so from those who use less than their limit. Proceeds from such a program could be used to support Ukraine or to help diversify energy sources.
EU united on Putin’s rejection of gas demand, Pompili says (2:38 p.m.)
The EU is using the Brussels summit to demonstrate its unity on continuing to pay for Russian gas in euros and to reassure Poland and Bulgaria of European aid after being cut off by Moscow, Barbara Pompili, France’s environment minister, told France. reporters in Brussels.
Pompili declined to say whether member states would reach an agreement on gas storage this week, but said negotiations were progressing.
Americans support additional sanctions against Russia by a large majority (14:30)
A large, bipartisan majority of Americans support increased sanctions against Russia, and most also support military and humanitarian support for Ukrainians, according to a poll by the Washington Post-ABC News.
Overall, 73% say the United States is doing the right amount or too little to support Ukraine. At the same time, 72% oppose direct US military action against Russian forces, and 21% support the idea.
Key bridge hit by missile attack (12:45 p.m.)
A key bridge across the mouth of the Dniester west of Odessa was hit by missiles Monday for the third time in a month, military spokesman Sergei Bratchuk told the Telegram. The bridge is important because it crosses a navigable entrance that allows access to Transnistria from the Black Sea. This is the main transport connection between the southwestern part of Ukraine Odessa region and the rest of the country.
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