Ukraine–European Union relations

(FILES) This photograph taken on May 21, 2014, shows a view of pipelines at the Bilche-Volytsko-Uherske underground gas storage facility, the largest in Europe, not far from the village of Bilche village, in the Lviv region of western Ukraine.

Gas supplies in Europe were stable with the exception of Moldova, the EU said on Jan. 2, a day after Russian gas transit via Ukraine stopped.

The termination of Russian natural gas transit through Ukraine marks a significant shift in Europe's energy landscape. The agreement, which had been in place since 2019, expired at midnight on December 31, 2024, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announcing that it would not be renewed.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised the agreement reached by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to admit Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen Area by land, calling it a significant step.

The European Commission has approved an allocation of nearly 4.1 billion euros to Ukraine as part of the first pillar of the country facility, bringing the total funding under this mechanism to 16.1 billion euros. The funds are intended to support Ukraine's ongoing reforms and recovery efforts amid the ongoing challenges it faces.

BELGRADE - Serbian FM Marko Djuric said on Tuesday the announcement that the EU Council of Ministers had approved a letter inviting Serbia to submit its negotiation positions for Chapters 16 and 19 under Cluster 3 of its EU accession talks was good news and that Serbia was prepared for further progress on the European path.

BRUSSELS - The European Commission would want to open Cluster 3 in the EU accession talks with Serbia, new EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos noted in Brussels on Thursday.

On the 1,000th day of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has reaffirmed its commitment to never surrender, despite facing significant challenges on the battlefield and concerns over ongoing US support. In a statement, Ukraine's foreign ministry stressed that the country will not submit to occupation and that the Russian military will be held accountable for violating international law.

The European Council has extended the mandate of the EU Military Assistance Mission in Support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) for an additional two years, now set to continue until November 15, 2026. Established in October 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the mission aims to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities through targeted training programs.

BUDAPEST - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said at the European Political Community Summit in Budapest on Thursday the EU needed to change its strategy on the entire Western Balkans, as well as on Serbia, and make strategic decisions on enlargement.

"I think that we should discuss strategic issues," noted Vucic, who was one of the six main speakers at the summit.

BELGRADE - Serbia is on the EU path and it can meet nearly all criteria from the EU Growth Agenda and the reform agenda by 2027 regardless of whether it will become an EU member state by that time or not, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said after a meeting with the head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret, who presented to him the European Commission's 2024 annual report on Ser