In the wake of the war the European Union is waving a card to include Ukraine in it

A senior European Union official announced that EU leaders may discuss the possibility of annexing Ukraine, during an informal summit, because that may be a bargaining chip in the discussion with Russia to end the conflict.

"EU leaders may discuss the possible annexation of Ukraine during an informal summit on March 10-11," a senior European Union official said Monday, adding that the issue was important to Ukraine in discussions with Russia on ending the conflict.

"I think it's possible that one of the reasons why this is important to Ukrainian President Zelensky is the talks with Russia to find a solution," the official said, referring to talks to end the conflict, while noting that no process has started yet.

"With regard to Ukraine's application to join the European Union, I think it is important that we do not get ahead of events," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Obviously he hasn't received a request yet, but this whole question about the situation in Ukraine is something the leaders have in mind," he added.

The official added that Ukraine has an association agreement with the 27-nation bloc, but it wants to become a full member, something Russia opposes.

He explained that Ukraine's membership was not discussed in order to avoid angering Moscow, but the Russian invasion of Ukraine changed the situation.

"I think it's possible that this unprecedented Russian aggression against Ukraine, and what we've seen of strong condemnation of this from the European Union and anger in the European Union, member states and public opinion, will become a factor in how we respond to the membership application," he said.

A “historic decision” Finland breaks its neutrality and decides to supply arms to Ukraine

Finland announced that it had made a "historic" decision to supply arms to Ukraine in the wake of Russia's invasion. "The support responds to Ukraine's needs and we have consulted them on this issue. The assistance will be delivered quickly," she said.

Finland, a non-aligned EU member state, announced Monday that it had made a "historic" decision to supply arms to Ukraine in the wake of Russia's invasion.

"Finland will provide military assistance to Ukraine. This is a historic decision for Finland," Prime Minister Sanna Marin said during a press conference.

Defense Minister Ante Kakonen said 2,500 assault rifles, 150,000 pieces of ammunition, 1,500 rocket launchers and 70,000 field food rations would be delivered.

"The change in Germany's approach was particularly important," Kakonen added.

Germany violated its doctrine by announcing the delivery to Kyiv of 1,000 anti-tank missile launchers, 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles, nine cannons, 14 armored vehicles and 10,000 tons of fuel.

Finland, which has a border with its Russian neighbor of more than 1,300 km, traditionally does not export weapons to conflict areas.

This country had previously decided to send flak jackets, helmets and a field hospital to Ukraine to support this country in the face of the Russian army.

"The support is responsive to Ukraine's needs and we have consulted them on this issue," said Marin. "The assistance will be delivered quickly."

The government indicated that the delivery will take place in two phases, Tuesday and Wednesday.

For its part, Norway, which announced on Sunday that it would supply Ukraine with equipment such as helmets and flak jackets, indicated Monday that it would also deliver up to 2,000 M72 anti-armor weapons to Kyiv.

Until now, the doctrine of the country, which is a member of NATO, but not a member of the European Union, has been not to supply weapons to the warring countries.

"Norway has a restrictive principle regarding the export of military equipment, but Ukraine is now in an exceptional situation," Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said in a statement.

Neighboring Sweden, which is also a non-aligned country, said Sunday that it would "deliver anti-armor weapons to Kyiv".

The Scandinavian countries reaffirmed their right to join NATO if they wished, even if such a move was not on the agenda.

However, in a poll conducted by public broadcaster Yle on Monday, 53% of Finns said they supported their country joining the military alliance.

"It is a historic and totally extraordinary result," Charlie Salonius Pasternak, principal research officer at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, told AFP.

In January a similar poll published in the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper showed that only 28 percent were in favor of joining.

"The only important thing that has changed is that Russia attacked a neighboring country that is not a member of NATO," said Salonius Pasternak.

Although the latest poll results may be the result of the initial shock of the Russian invasion, the researcher declared that he believes that support is likely to remain at a higher level than before.

Zemmour: Ukrainian refugees should stay in Poland, and their arrival to France threatens its stability

Far-right candidate for the French presidential election Eric Zemmour said that Ukrainian war refugees should stay in Poland to facilitate their return to their country, and considered that their arrival in France threatens to destabilize the country.

Eric Zemmour, the far-right candidate in France's upcoming presidential election, said Ukrainian war refugees should stay in Poland "to facilitate returning home when the war is over".

In an interview with French radio station RTL, Zemmour considered that the arrival of Ukrainian refugees threatens to "destabilize France", which is already overwhelmed by immigration.

Zemmour said that he would prefer these Ukrainians fleeing the war to remain in Poland, because it is not good to keep people in this way from their countries, as he put it, explaining at the same time that he shares and understands the feelings of the Ukrainian citizens.

It should be noted that more than 300,000 Ukrainians have arrived in EU countries so far, according to the European Commission, half of them in Poland according to Warsaw, fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

During the radio interview, Zemmour stressed that he "does not want to change any name," calling on everyone, especially those who come to live in France, to "cultural assimilation."

He considered that giving the parents a French name for their newborn is a sign of their love for France, saying that "any immigrant must say to himself, I came from another place and belong to another culture and another civilization, but I want to live among you (the French) and I want to live like you because I love you." .

No people are less racist than the French, Zemmour said, who "want to welcome everyone and love everyone, and there is none more cosmopolitan than them." But they are asking that people who come from other places integrate into their way of life and live like them.”

Zemmour had previously stated that if he became president of France, he would "ban names like Muhammad Ali, the French, by activating the law of 1803, which prohibits giving the French non-French names. These statements sparked a great debate in the country.