This handout video grab taken and released by the Ukraine Presidency press service on Feb 28, 2022 shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivering an address in Kyiv. (UKRAINE PRESIDENCY / AFP)
KIEV / VERSAILLES / GENEVA – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a law to allow the confiscation of Russia-owned property in Ukraine, the press service of Ukraine's parliament said Thursday.
The law stipulates that the property owned by Russia or Russian citizens could be confiscated by the Ukrainian authorities without any compensation.
The legislation was approved by the Ukrainian parliament on March 3.
Russia launched a special military operation against Ukraine on Feb 24.
Discussions at the informal European Council meeting in Versailles, France, will focus on Europe's approach to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday
Delegations of the two sides have held three rounds of talks in Belarus and the two countries' foreign ministers have met in Turkey to seek a solution to the crisis, though the negotiations ended without a significant breakthrough.
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Meanwhile, discussions at the informal European Council meeting in Versailles, France, will focus on Europe's approach to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.
The goal of the two-day summit, the first during France's six-month presidency of the European Union, is to "show, and continue to construct and reinforce the unity of Europe," Macron said.
"We need to prepare ourselves with all the scenarios," he emphasized, referring to Russia's ongoing military operations in Ukraine.
Faced with rising fuel prices, Europe should not be dependent on Russia for gas, he said. It should also be able to supply its own markets, and defend itself independently.
"France depends less than others on gas…but Europe depends on gas, and 40 percent is Russian gas," he said.
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Meanwhile, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said that "this is a defining moment for Europe."
At the summit, heads of state and government will discuss how to boost European defense capacities, she said. Europe also needs massive investment in renewables in order to remove its energy dependency, she added.
During the talks, leaders are also expected to tackle issues related to the accession of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova to the EU.
