Germany has announced a new military aid package for Ukraine, drones and artillery shells included. Meanwhile, Switzerland has decided on the timing of the Global Peace Summit.
RBC-Ukraine collected the main news for April 9.
Switzerland set dates for Global peace summit
Switzerland will host a two-day Global Peace Summit on June 15th and 16th. Russia will not participate in it, informs The Guardian.
The conference will take place from June 15th to 16th at the Bürgenstock resort in the Nidwalden canton near Lucerne. The summit will focus on creating frameworks conducive to long-term peace in Ukraine, as well as a "a concrete roadmap for Russia's participation in the peace process."
EU aid to Ukraine: European Commission on when second tranche will come
The European Commission has informed the EU Steering Committee about the allocation of €4.5 billion to Ukraine in March as part of interim financing.
This program provides much-needed liquidity for the functioning of the state, such as payment of wages, pensions, and provision of essential government services, enabling Ukraine to continue focusing efforts on winning the war.
"A second tranche of pre-financing of €1.5 billion to Ukraine is foreseen in April, subject to a positive assessment of the fulfilment of agreed conditions," the statement reads.
Biden may participate in future conference on Ukraine in Switzerland, media reports
US President Joe Biden may take part in a high-level conference on peace in Ukraine to be held in Switzerland around mid-June.
NZZ, citing sources, says that US President Joe Biden would attend the conference.
So far, President Biden has not confirmed his participation in the American delegation, according to a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Bern.
However, the chances of Biden's arrival have increased. He is scheduled to attend the G7 summit in Italy just before the planned conference on Ukraine.
Germany announces new package of military aid for Ukraine: Details
Germany has announced a new military aid package for Ukraine. Among other things, the list includes drones and artillery shells, according to the German government.
Here is a full list of the contents of the new military support package:
- 1 Warthog all-terrain vehicle (command vehicle) - nine of them were previously transferred;
- 2 WISENT 1 demining vehicles - 32 vehicles were previously transferred;
- 6,000 155 mm caliber shells - 68,000 rounds of ammunition were previously delivered;
- 16 Vector reconnaissance drones - 196 units were previously delivered;
- 30 RQ-35 Heidrun reconnaissance drones - 185 units were previously delivered;
- 30 sets of drone countermeasures - 40 units were previously transferred;
- 11 mobile demining systems - 9 of these systems were previously transferred;
- 3 mine trawls - 43 of them were previously transferred;
- 70 infrared cameras - 330 units were previously transferred;
- 680 Haenel MK556 assault rifles - 305 units were previously transferred;
- 120 Haenel CR308 rifles;
- 24 boat engines;
- 50 Haenel HLR338 sniper rifles - 15 units were previously delivered;
- 1,000 000 rounds of ammunition for small arms;
- 5,000 detonators.
Germany assists Ukraine through supplies to the Federal Armed Forces and supplies to industry financed by the Federal Government.
Pentagon calls Russian oil refineries' civilian targets'
The United States is concerned about Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. Washington considers refineries to be civilian targets, states Celeste Wallander, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.
"The issue on attacking critical infrastructure is when those are civilian targets, we have concerns," Wallander stated, commenting on strikes against Russian oil refineries.
She further noted that Ukraine holds itself to the highest standards of observing the laws of armed conflict and that is "one of the elements of being a European democracy".
Russian Ka-27 helicopter destroyed in Crimea - Navy
Russian Ka-27 helicopter was destroyed in temporarily occupied Crimea, according to Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk.
"Minus one Russian Ka-27 in Crimea. It was looking for something. It found it," Pletenchuk wrote.