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EU grants candidate status to Ukraine as US ships weapons
European Union leaders granted candidate status Thursday to Ukraine and Moldova in a strong show of support against Russia’s invasion, as the United States said it was sending Kyiv more high-precision rocket systems.
The West’s latest attempts to rally behind Ukraine came as Russia closed in on key cities in the country’s embattled east and prompted growing global concerns with restrictions in gas and grain exports.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the EU decision on his country and Moldova as “a unique and historic moment”, although the two former Soviet republics face a long path before joining the bloc and its benefits of free movement and a common market.
“Ukraine’s future is within the EU,” said Zelensky, who had been working the phones for weeks.
“We will win, rebuild, enter the EU and then will rest. Or probably we will not rest.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said that the decision by EU leaders sent a “very strong signal” to Russia that Europeans support the pro-Western aspirations of Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin had declared Ukraine to be part of Moscow’s sphere and insisted he was acting due to attempts to bring the country into NATO, the Western alliance that comes with security guarantees.
European powers before the invasion had distanced themselves from US support for Ukraine’s NATO aspirations and EU membership is at least years away.
Ukraine and Moldova will have to go through protracted negotiations and the European Union has laid out steps that Kyiv must take even before that, including bolstering the rule of law and fighting corruption.
Weapons to fight Russian gains
The White House announced that it was sending another $450 million in fresh weapons to Ukraine including new High Mobility Artillery Rocket systems, which have been at the top of Kyiv’s wish list.
The so-called Himars system can simultaneously launch multiple precision missiles at an extended range.
An initial four units have already been delivered, with Ukrainian soldiers being trained to operate the equipment, after President Joe Biden’s administration said Kyiv had offered assurances it would not fire into Russia.
Ukraine’s needs have been increasingly urgent as Russia — which failed to take Kyiv immediately after invading on February 24 — advances in the east, tightening its grip on strategically important Severodonetsk and its twin city Lysychansk across the Donets river.
Taking the cities would give Moscow control of the whole of Lugansk, allowing Russia to press further into the Donbas region and potentially farther west.
Ukraine acknowledged Thursday that it had lost control of two areas from where it was defending the cities, with Russian forces now closer to encircling the industrial hubs.
Britain’s defence ministry said some Ukrainian units had probably been forced to withdraw “to avoid being encircled”.
“Russia’s improved performance in this sector is likely a result of recent unit reinforcement and heavy concentration of fire,” it said in its latest intelligence update.
A representative of pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine told AFP the resistance of Ukrainian forces trying to defend Lysychansk and Severodonetsk was “pointless and futile.”
“At the rate our soldiers are going, very soon the whole territory of the Lugansk People’s Republic will be liberated,” said Andrei Marochko, a spokesman for the army of Lugansk.
The Russian army also said Thursday that its bombings in the southern city of Mykolaiv had destroyed 49 fuel storage tanks and three tank repair depots, after strikes killed several Ukrainian troops Wednesday.
‘Only grannies left’
The northeastern city of Kharkiv near the Russian border was nearly empty on Wednesday, AFP reporters said, a day after shelling by Moscow’s forces killed five people there.
“Last night the building next to mine collapsed from the bombardment while I was sleeping,” said Leyla Shoydhry, a young woman in a park near the opera house.
Roman Pohuliay, a 19-year-old in a pink sweatshirt, said most residents had fled the city.
“Only the grannies are left,” he said.
In the central city of Zaporizhzhia, women were training to use Kalashnikov assault rifles in urban combat as Russian forces edged nearer.
“When you can do something, it’s not so scary to take a machine gun in your hands,” said Ulyana Kiyashko, 29, after moving through an improvised combat zone in a basement.
‘Weaponising’ grain and gas
Western officials have also accused Russia of weaponising its key exports of gas as well as grain from Ukraine, contributing to global inflation and rising hunger in the world.
“We are very clear that this grain crisis is urgent, that it needs to be solved within the next month,” British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on a visit to Turkey.
“Otherwise we could see devastating consequences,” she said.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged African nations to pressure Russia for a safe route for grain.
“African capitals matter and they do influence Russia’s position,” he told African journalists.
A US official warned of new retaliatory measures against Russia at the Group of Seven summit being attended by Biden in Germany starting Sunday.
Germany ratcheted up an emergency gas plan to its second alert level, just one short of the maximum that could require rationing in Europe’s largest economy, after Russia slashed its supplies.
“Gas is now a scarce commodity,” Economy Minister Robert Habeck told reporters, urging households to cut back on use. Demand for gas is lower in the summer but shortages could cause heating shortages in the winter.
France is aiming to have its gas storage reserves at full capacity by early autumn, and will build a new floating methane terminal to get more energy supplies by sea, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said.
A Kremlin spokesman reiterated its claim that the supply cuts were due to maintenance and that necessary equipment from abroad had not arrived
Member of the House of Representatives representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has donated ₦5 million to the Anfaani Muslim Community Central Mosque in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area for its solar power project.
Oseni, who also chairs the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, (FERMA), made the donation on Friday, according to a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele.
The lawmaker, who is the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Senatorial Candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, described the gesture as a reflection of his commitment to service, faith, and community development.
He said supporting faith-based institutions remained a privilege that should be embraced with humility.
“I had the honour and privilege of supporting the Anfani Muslim Community Central Mosque with the sum of ₦5 million towards the execution of its solar power project,” Oseni said in the statement.
The APC senatorial candidate for Oyo South stressed that service to humanity and support for religious institutions were responsibilities that come with divine trust.
He added that every opportunity to contribute meaningfully to society should be valued.
“It is always a blessing and a profound responsibility to contribute to the work of God and support initiatives that strengthen our faith communities,” he said.
“Whenever we are presented with the opportunity to uplift institutions devoted to worship and communal development, we must embrace it with sincerity and gratitude”, the statement added.
Oseni noted that acts of service should not be neglected, adding that God could raise others to fulfil His purpose if one failed to act.
He prayed for continued peace, progress, and prosperity across communities, expressing optimism that religious institutions would remain pillars of moral and social development.
“May Almighty God continue to strengthen His church and mosque, bless our communities with peace, and prosper every effort geared towards the advancement of faith and humanity,” he prayed.
Speaking during the visit, the Chief Imam of the Central Mosque, Alhaji Saheed Gbadamosi, appreciated the lawmaker for the support and for personally visiting the mosque, describing the gesture as a mark of respect for the Muslim community.
He offered prayers for the lawmaker, seeking divine guidance, protection and greater accomplishments in his public service.
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a man, Johnson Elleh, for allegedly producing and circulating a viral video falsely claiming the presence of kidnapping and banditry activities along the Owode-Idiroko axis of the state.
The command said preliminary findings showed that the suspect deliberately fabricated and shared the misleading content to attract public attention and generate online engagement.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday and made available to journalists in Abeokuta.
According to Babaseyi, the command immediately launched an investigation after the video surfaced online, subjecting its contents to scrutiny to verify the claims.
He said the findings revealed that the video was false, misleading, and intentionally crafted to trigger fear, panic, and anxiety among residents.
“Findings revealed that the video was false, misleading, and deliberately designed to create fear, panic, and anxiety among members of the public,” the statement read.
The police spokesperson stated that extensive verification further confirmed that no incident of kidnapping or banditry occurred in the Owode-Idiroko corridor or surrounding communities as portrayed in the viral clip.
He added that detectives later identified the suspect after discovering that he featured in the video, leading to his arrest.
“Further investigation revealed that the suspect was featured in the video and was subsequently identified by detectives, leading to his arrest,” Babaseyi stated.
He explained that the suspect’s action was capable of causing unnecessary public tension, disrupting social order, and eroding confidence in the state’s security system.
“During the course of the investigation, the suspect reportedly confessed to intentionally creating and disseminating the misleading content to generate online engagement and public reaction,” he added.
While noting that investigation into the matter was ongoing, the command said Elleh would be charged to court at the conclusion of the probe.
The police command strongly condemned the spread of fake news, false security alerts, and other forms of misinformation capable of creating fear and confusion among law-abiding citizens.
It warned individuals and groups against publishing, recirculating, or disseminating unverified security-related information, stressing that such acts threaten public peace and would attract legal consequences.
“The Command will continue to identify, arrest, investigate, and prosecute all persons found culpable, irrespective of status or motive,” the statement added.
The police, however, reassured residents that Ogun remained safe, peaceful, and secure, urging them to remain calm and rely only on verified information released through official channels.
“The Command remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting lives and property and maintaining public order across the state,” Babaseyi concluded.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
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