Ukraine-Russia war – live: EU agrees deal for vital £43bn Kyiv aid as it breaks veto by Hungary’s Orban

A Russian court has extended the pre-trial detention of Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist who is accused of violating a law on “foreign agents”.

A Reuters reporter in court in the city of Kazan said Kurmasheva’s custody was extended until 5 April.

Kurmasheva is a Prague-based journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), which is funded by the US Congress and designated by Russia as a foreign agent, meaning it gets foreign funding for activity deemed to be political.

Her employer says her detention is unjust and politically motivated.

Kurmasheva is the second US journalist to be arrested and charged in Russia since the start of the Ukraine war in February 2022. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained last March and is awaiting trial on spying charges which he, his paper and the US government all strongly deny.

Kurmasheva holds both US and Russian passports, and entered Russia on 20 May last year to deal with a family emergency. As she awaited her return flight on 2 June, she was detained and her passports were confiscated.

According to court documents, Kurmasheva was fined 10,000 roubles ($103) on 11 October for failing to register her US passport with Russian authorities.

She was then charged with failing to register as a foreign agent, an offence that carries up to five years in prison, and has been in custody since 18 October.

The term “foreign agent”, which has Cold War connotations of espionage, has been applied in Russia to organisations, journalists, rights activists and even entertainers, and brings with it close government scrutiny and a mountain of red tape.

Ukraine’s top diplomat Dmytro Kuleba has praised the EU package as a bill of “historic proportions” in a statement on X.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked the European Union for passing a €50 billion support package to Kyiv.

The money will ostenisbly go to the securing of the Ukrainian state, experts have told The Independent.

“Grateful to @CharlesMichel and EU leaders for establishing the €50 billion Ukraine Facility for 2024-2027,” Mr Zelensky said.

“It is very important that the decision was made by all 27 leaders, which once again proves strong EU unity.

“Continued EU financial support for Ukraine will strengthen long-term economic and financial stability, which is no less important than military assistance and sanctions pressure on Russia.”

Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s top advisor, has praised the news from Brussels that the European Union has finally agreed to send aid to Ukraine.

He posted three emojis on Telegram – of an EU flag, a Ukraine flag and of two hands shaking.

European leaders have agreed to the folllowing draft to ensure that Ukraine aid is passed. The letter was shared with The Guardian.

“On the basis of the Commission annual report on the implementation of the Ukraine Facility, the European Council will hold a debate each year on the Facility with a view to providing guidance. If needed, in two years the European Council will invite the Commission to make a proposal for review in the context of the new MFF.”

It comes after EU ambassadors agreed yesterday to offer Hungary, who have consistently blocked the €50 billlion package, a yearly review of the support to Ukraine, though they declined to grant Budapest’s wish to have a veto on further aid each year.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has issued a statement after the European Union passed vital aid to Ukraine.

European Union Council President Charles Michel has said that all 27 members of the bloc have agreed to a further package for Ukraine.

“All 27 leaders agreed on an additional €50 billion support package for Ukraine within the EU budget,” he said on X.

The European Union summit discussing, among other finances, a €50 billion aid package to Ukraine, has begun.

Some quotes from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after his meeting with Hungary’s leader Viktor Orban this morning:

“As an EU, we must work together to ensure that Ukraine is able to defend itself. All 27 member states must want to reach a decision. In a community like Europe, that should be possible.”

Farmers have descended on Brussels to press a summit of European Union leaders to do more to help them with taxes, rising costs and cheap imports, throwing eggs at the European Parliament, starting fires near the building and setting off fireworks.

Major thoroughfares in Brussels, the heart of the European Union, were blocked by around 1,000 tractors, according to a police estimate.

One tractor displayed a banner saying “If you love the earth, support those who manage it” as farmers from Belgium and other European countries try to make themselves heard by EU leaders meeting later.

Another banner read: “No farmers, no food.”

Security personnel in riot gear stood guard behind barriers where the leaders are due to meet, a few blocks away from the European Parliament building where tractors were parked in a central square.

“If you see with how many people we are here today, and if you see it’s all over Europe, so you must have hope. We must have hope that these people see that farming is necessary. It’s the food, you know,” said Kevin Bertens, a farmer from just outside Brussels.

Farmers say they are not being paid enough, are choked by taxes and green rules and face unfair competition from abroad.

They have already secured several measures, including the bloc’s executive Commission proposals to limit farm imports from Ukraine and loosen some environmental regulations on fallow lands.