At night, the Russian Federation struck Lutsk and Khmelnytskyi with drones; Zelensky called a clear date for joining the EU the key to stopping Russia's war against Ukraine; the European Union allocates an additional 80 million euros of profits from frozen Russian assets for the repair of Ukrainian energy facilities; the head of the German Foreign Ministry believes that the EU will get a chance to unblock 90 billion euros of loans after the elections in Hungary; Germany, Britain and Moldova will join the agreement on the Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression of the Russian Federation; the European Union and Germany transferred more than 50 units of equipment to Ukrzaliznytsia – Suspilne collected the main news on the morning of April 1.
Russia strikes Lutsk and Khmelnytskyi regions with drones
On the morning of April 1, Lutsk was attacked by Russian UAVs. A hit was recorded in one of the city's neighborhoods, a fire broke out, the Lutsk City Council reported. The Russian drone hit one of the industrial enterprises in the regional center. An apartment building was also damaged by a fragment of the “shaheed”.
In Lutsk, Russian drones destroyed the Nova Poshta terminal, the company reported. None of the employees were injured, everyone was in shelter. The fire is being extinguished, rescuers are working at the scene.
In Khmelnytskyi region, a fire broke out on the territory of an enterprise in the regional center as a result of a drone attack, the OVA reported. There is no information about deaths or injuries.
Russia says military plane crashed in Crimea
Russia claims that an An-26 military transport plane crashed in occupied Crimea, killing all 29 people on board. TASS sources reported that the plane crashed into a rock. The preliminary cause of the crash was a technical malfunction.
Zelensky: “A clear date for Kyiv's accession to the EU is the key to stopping the war”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Kyiv is ready to open clusters and continue negotiations on joining the European Union. According to him, setting a clear date by the bloc is the key to stopping the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine. He said this during the second part of a closed off-site meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU member states with the participation of the head of European diplomacy Kaia Kallas on March 31 in Kyiv.
As an example, the president cited the perception of Ukraine by Middle Eastern states.
“They perceive this as cooperation with Europe… So why is Ukraine still limited as part of Europe on some key issues? Ukraine's membership in the EU is a guarantee of security for us and for Europe. Our potential – human, technological, military – is the potential of Europe. Russia understands this, and sometimes even better than some in Europe itself. That is why it is doing everything to stop Ukraine's accession to the EU. And that is why we are doing everything to make this happen,” Zelensky said.
Context: On March 31, the speakers of parliaments and foreign ministers of EU member states arrived in Ukraine for the Bucha Summit and visited Bucha on the anniversary of the city's liberation from Russian occupation.
The EU allocates an additional 80 million euros from frozen Russian assets for the repair of Ukrainian energy facilities
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaia Kallas announced the allocation of an additional 80 million euros from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. They will be used to repair energy facilities and prepare the Ukrainian energy system for next winter. She said this during a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga following the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU Member States in Kyiv on March 31.
“We are also providing an additional $80 million to Ukraine that was withdrawn from frozen Russian assets. And we will mobilize international support to provide Ukraine with generators and equipment to repair power facilities to prepare Ukraine's power system for the coming winter,” Kallas said.
She also added that the European Union realizes that international pressure should be directed exclusively at Russia, and not at the “injured party.”
Vadeful — about the window of opportunity for unlocking the reparations loan
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful said that after the parliamentary elections in Hungary, scheduled for April 12, there will likely be a “new chance” for the EU to unblock a €90 billion loan to Ukraine for 2026-2027. He told Suspilny about this.
“I am optimistic that we will be able to cope with this problem, yes. It is difficult to say now who will win the elections in Hungary. But whoever it is, they will remain partners. Hungary finally agreed to provide this loan in December. I think that after the elections we will remind them of this. And elections in Hungary are a very critical thing,” said Vadful.
When asked about the possibility of resuming discussions on obtaining a loan after the elections in Hungary, Vadful emphasized that “we do not forget about this anyway.”
“We are working on this every day and putting pressure on Hungary to fulfill its promises made in December of that year. But as a realist politician, I would say that it is better to see what happens after the elections in Hungary. Perhaps we will have a new chance. I simply cannot imagine one state going against the will of the other twenty-six, destroying solidarity within the European Union,” Vadful added.
Context: On February 20, it became known that Hungary blocked the allocation of an EU loan worth 90 billion euros to Ukraine due to the lack of oil transit from Russia via the Druzhba oil pipeline. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that Kyiv informed Budapest about the Russian shelling of the Druzhba oil pipeline in Brody, Lviv region, and the corresponding damage as early as January 27, and that Ukraine's accusations of delaying supplies are illogical.
Germany, Britain and Moldova will join the agreement on the Special Tribunal — Sibiga
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said that three more countries have confirmed their readiness to join the Expanded Partial Agreement on the Special Tribunal to Investigate the Crime of Russian Aggression against Ukraine.
“The issue of punishing Russian criminals will never be removed from the agenda. This is an inalienable coin, and justice is critically needed for a sustainable peace… All processes of bringing to justice are also about strengthening, again, our negotiating position. As I said, today we have concrete results, including new decisions to join the agreement on the Special Tribunal. Three additional countries have officially expressed such readiness: Germany, the United Kingdom, and Moldova,” said Sibiha.
According to the minister, 13 Council of Europe member states and one country from outside the continent have now joined the initiative. He stressed that Ukraine is counting on “a significantly larger number” and called on colleagues to work together to expand the circle of participants.
Context: In March, Sweden and Estonia officially confirmed their intention to join the agreement to establish a Special Tribunal to investigate the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The European Union and Germany have transferred over 50 units of equipment to Ukrzaliznytsia
The EU and Germany have provided Ukrzaliznytsia with assistance in the form of over 50 units of equipment — including transport, generators, dump trucks, and excavators. Ukrzaliznytsia reported this on social media.
Part of the equipment was handed over to Ukrainian railway workers by the EU delegation led by Kallas and Vaddeful. The European Union has handed over 23 units of equipment to Ukraine, including transport and generators, through the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI). More than 25 more units have also been announced – dump trucks, excavators and trucks. If necessary and during blackouts, the generators will provide power to signaling posts and other railway systems.
As part of the same aid package, Germany, through the Team Europe initiative, donated 18 vehicles worth 600,000 euros.