The EU approved a €18 billion ($19 billion) aid package for Ukraine on Thursday and agreed on a minimum corporate tax after last-minute Polish objections held up a deal, diplomats said.
The announcement came after an impassioned plea from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy not to let internal disputes within the 27-nation bloc stand in the way of backing Kyiv.
"I am asking you very much to ensure that our struggle for peace for Ukraine and for the whole of Europe does not depend on misunderstandings and controversies between some EU member states," Mr Zelenskyy said in a video address to EU leaders meeting in Brussels.
The member states struck a complex agreement on Monday that gave approval to the Ukraine aid and a minimum 15 per cent global corporate tax rate.
The "megadeal", which included a compromise with Hungary over frozen EU funds, was formally expected to be approved on Wednesday evening.
But repeated deadlines to ratify the package slipped by after Warsaw raised objections to the tax push.
The delay meant the dispute spilled over into the EU leaders summit.
Diplomats said an accord was eventually reached after Poland agreed to let the initiatives go through.
French President Emmanuel Macro hailed a "major breakthrough". "We are very keen on upholding social justice and the ability to tax all economic actors at a minimum level of 15 per cent," he told reporters at the exit of the summit.
Ukraine war latest - in pictures
Warsaw, one of the most hawkish supporters of Ukraine in the EU, had insisted it was firmly in favour of the 2023 financial aid for Kyiv.
But Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said it was "blackmail" for other countries to maintain the money for Ukraine could only be agreed to if the corporate tax deal went through.
Poland is trying to persuade the EU that it has made enough progress on reforms to justify it starting to receive $35 billion in post-Covid recovery funds.
The desperately needed funds will help to prop up the Ukrainian government next year as its struggles to keep services going during Russia's war.
Ukraine becomes dark patch in night satellite images - in pictures
In another disagreement, Poland and Lithuania were objecting to a new package of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, saying other EU nations had tried to dilute it too much.
Eastern European officials said attempts by coastal states including Belgium and the Netherlands to retreat on restrictions on Russia selling fertiliser would weaken EU attempts to punish the Kremlin.
EU sanctions do not target Russian fertiliser and grain, but they reportedly discourage shipping companies from transporting all Russian cargo.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had asked European leaders to ease up up on fertilisers to not endanger food security in Africa, whic imported 44 per cent of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine between 2018 and 2020, according to UN figures.
Mr Macron said that they had responded to Mr Guterres' request and that the sanctions "impacted [Russia's] ability to finance its war effort and at the same time do not damage food security for many developing and emerging countries."
Mr Macron also said that he would speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin soon and that discussions would focus on calling on Russia to stop targetting Ukrainian civilian targets with bombardments and drone attacks.
The French President also wants to convince Russia to withdraw weaponry and infantry from Ukrain's Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. "We are quite close to obtaining this," he said.
EU proposes special court to investigate Russia's actions in Ukraine - video
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
India squads
Test squad against Afghanistan: Rahane (c), Dhawan, Vijay, Rahul, Pujara, Karun, Saha, Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Umesh, Shami, Pandya, Ishant, Thakur.
T20 squad against Ireland and England: Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rohit, Rahul, Raina, Pandey, Dhoni, Karthik, Chahal, Kuldeep, Sundar, Bhuvneshwar, Bumrah, Pandya, Kaul, Umesh.
ODI squad against England: Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rohit, Rahul, Shreyas, Rayudu, Dhoni, Karthik, Chahal, Kuldeep, Sundar, Bhuvneshwar, Bumrah, Pandya, Kaul, Umesh
The%20specs
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Match info
Premier League
Manchester United 2 (Martial 30', Lingard 69')
Arsenal 2 (Mustafi 26', Rojo 68' OG)
Brief scores:
QPR 0
Watford 1
Capoue 45' 1
'Champions'
Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
US%20federal%20gun%20reform%20since%20Sandy%20Hook
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EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
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The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
Day 3 stumps
New Zealand 153 & 249
Pakistan 227 & 37-0 (target 176)
Pakistan require another 139 runs with 10 wickets remaining