Page 24 - UKRRptJul24

"Stakhanovite movement" from the Soviet era, a cultural push for increased productivity.
As winter approaches, the reality of limited power supplies will heavily depend on the restoration efforts and the broader geopolitical context. However, the current outlook suggests significant challenges ahead for Ukraine's energy system and its citizens.
2.10 Politics - misc
● International Politics
Ukraine started EU accession talks on June 25, more than a decade after pro-western demonstrations in Kyiv called for the country to join the bloc despite Russian threats and the invasions that followed. EU ministers will meet Ukrainian officials in Luxembourg to officially begin a process that is set to take years but which marks a hugely symbolic moment for a country fighting off Russia’s full-scale invasion, now in its third year. “We have surpassed the barrier of promise to delivery,” Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, told the Financial Times. “It’s a decision that’s merit-based,” she said, noting that her country had met all the criteria for negotiations to commence. German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock also highlighted the “important signal” this step represented. “Putin wanted to annex Ukraine. Instead, [the country] is now closer to the EU than ever before,” she said. The bloc will also start talks with neighbouring Moldova, a former Soviet republic that applied for EU membership weeks after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine seeks to hold a second peace summit before the US elections, and Russia will receive an action plan to end of the war. The second Ukrainian Peace Summit can be held before the presidential elections in the US, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, Ignazio Cassis. Although the specific terms were not announced, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said that the preparation should take "months." "We already have countries that have expressed interest in hosting the second Peace Summit, and we have started negotiations with them," he emphasized. Elections in the US are scheduled for November 5, 2024. Zelenskiy also announced that an action plan will be agreed upon at the summit and delivered to the Russian Federation so that an end to the war may be established. It should be noted that, according to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the Russian Federation should participate in the next Peace Summit,, as there it will be decide to end its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine will not be a priority for Hungary during its EU presidency.
Hungary’s representative in the EU, Odor Balint, said that Hungary, as the head of the EU Council, wants to "balance" the bloc's expansion processes to promote the integration process for the countries of the Western Balkans and plans to hold an EU-Western Balkans summit. Regarding the Russian Federation and aid to Ukraine, Hungary "will carefully monitor the development of events and include all necessary aspects in the agenda if necessary." Hungary’s representative did not say anything regarding support for Ukraine. Balint did state that the priorities of Hungary’s presidency are the EU's competitiveness, economic relations with third countries, easing
24 UKRAINE Country Report July 2024 www.intellinews.com