Ukraine Successfully Woos Germany

Germany takes a leading role on sanctions with the blessing of the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, while the US starts promising to pick up the slack on Russian gas in Bulgaria.

Ukraine continues to defend itself in the east.

EU/regional:

• The EU foreign ministers will discuss the oil embargo and the sixth package of sanctions on May 16.
• The European Commission plans to unveil a 195 billion euro plan to stop importing Russian fossil fuels by 2027, they plan to do this by speeding up the creation of renewable energy as well as promoting energy saving. They also plan to move to different gas suppliers, draft documents show.
• Germany plans to stop importing Russian oil by the end of the year even if the European Union fails to agree on an EU-wide ban in its next set of sanctions reports Bloomberg.
• On 17 May the Foreign Affairs Council (Defence) will meet. They will be briefed by High Representative Josep Borrell about current affairs, namely developments in Mali. Then they will have a discussion on the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Over an informal working lunch, ministers will exchange views with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and the Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov, via videoconference. Then on 20 May Foreign Affairs Council (Development) will meet to exchange views on the global implications of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, with a focus on food security and the multilateral response.
• In the EP on 17 and 18 May The Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety will adopt six reports, part of the ‘Fit for 55 in 2030 package.’ 
• On 18 May Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen will discuss with the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) the impact of the recently agreed Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in preparation of IMCO’s delegation to Silicon Valley (23-27 May). Beforehand, MEPs will discuss the main achievements of the DSA and DMA negotiations with France’s Secretary of State for the Digital Transition and Electronic Communications Cedric O.
• On 16 May the EP’s International Trade Committee will vote to lift all import duties on any product coming from Ukraine, with the aim of supporting the country’s economy. MEPs will adopt this file using the fast-track procedure so that the final vote can take place already during this week’s plenary sitting.

Ukraine: