Video summary of the war Ukraine - Russia: June 22 8:50
(CNN Spanish) --
While suffering from the Russian attacks in the east of the country, Ukraine could receive crucial support in the next few hours when the leaders of the European Union decide, at a summit in Brussels, on granting it the status of candidate to enter the bloc.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops face a dilemma in the Luhanks region, where Russia has taken new territory under its control: either face a superior force in arms, or withdraw tactically to assess a possible counteroffensive.
Follow the main news of this Thursday June 23 of the war that extends in time and is about to enter its fourth month.
EU leader says decision on Ukraine's bid is 'a watershed moment'
European Council chief Charles Michel called Thursday a "decisive moment" for the bloc as EU leaders meet to discuss Ukraine's bid to join.
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"It is a decisive moment for the European Union. A geopolitical decision that we will take today," Michel told reporters upon arrival at the European Council summit in Brussels.
Why Ukraine's bid to join the European Union might infuriate Putin
EU leaders are considering whether to approve last week's European Commission decision, which recommended granting Ukraine EU candidate status.
The president of the European Council was "confident" that the EU leaders will grant the status of candidates to Ukraine and Moldovo and "will express a clear and strong European perspective" for both nations.
The head of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, also hailed Thursday as a "historic" day, expressing her "hope" that Ukraine's candidate status would be given the green light.
"A day when I thought we would wait much longer to have it on paper, and I really welcome the unity and leadership of the European Union on this," he said.
Ukraine faces an urgent dilemma in Luhansk: confront massive Russian firepower or tactically withdraw
Ukrainian servicemen ride a bus to their positions in the Luhansk area, Ukraine, on June 19.
(Oleksander Ratushniak/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
As Russian forces close in on the city of Lisychansk, Ukrainian military commanders have an unenviable choice.
They can defend the city, block by block, against vastly superior firepower, or they can withdraw to take up new defensive positions further west.
Defending the city would inevitably mean heavy casualties, both among the soldiers and among the thousands of civilians still sheltering there.
Russian bombing of the city - like that of neighboring Severodonetsk - has been largely indiscriminate.
In addition, the resupply corridor along the T1302 road to Bakhmut could be cut off, leaving the Ukrainian troops surrounded.
In some places, Russian units advancing from the south are less than five kilometers from the road.
Although other resupply routes are available, they would be difficult and vulnerable.
"Russian forces are likely to continue to regroup and intensify operations in the area between Bakhmut and Lysychansk to advance towards Lysychansk from an additional axis, cut off Ukrainian supply lines and attempt to consolidate control of the entire Severodonetsk-Lysychansk area in the coming days," said the Institute for the Study of War, in its latest assessment.
This is how the island of Serpents has remained after the Russian invasion 0:58
On the other hand, one of the advantages of staying and fighting in Lisichansk is that it is on higher ground than surrounding areas, and Ukrainian forces are likely to be able to hold off and damage Russian units for some time, maybe weeks.
Lysychansk could become another Mariupol.
By absorbing the Russian units, the city's defenders would likely relieve pressure on other fronts, such as Sloviansk.
The dilemma for the Ukrainian military is urgent.
As the pocket of the defending Luhansk and Donetsk regions shrinks, the option of a tactical retreat to new lines of defense may not last long.
Ukraine grain crisis must be resolved within a month to avoid 'devastating consequences', UK says
UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Thursday that it is "urgent" to resolve the grain crisis in Ukraine within the next month to avoid a "devastating" outcome.
In his speech in Ankara together with the Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mevlut Cavusoglu, Truss once again accused the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, of "turning hunger into a weapon" and stressed that, if this difficult situation is not resolved, it is likely that there will be "an enormous famine throughout the world".
Putin says Russia is diverting trade to BRICS countries
"He [Putin] has blocked Ukrainian ports and is preventing 20 million tons of grain from being exported around the world, keeping the world on edge," said Truss, who is in Turkey to discuss the plan to get the grain out. , supported by the United Nations.
"We are clear that commercial ships must have safe passage to be able to leave Ukrainian ports, and that Ukrainian ports must be protected from Russian attacks," he said, adding that "Russia cannot be allowed to delay and prevaricate." ".
"We are very clear that this grain crisis is urgent and must be resolved in the next month, otherwise we could see devastating consequences," Truss said.
"Gas is scarce in Germany", warns the Government, which declares the "alarm level"
Germany has activated the second phase of its three-stage emergency plan for natural gas supplies, the country's economy minister and deputy chancellor Robert Habeck announced on Thursday.
"From now on, gas is in short supply in Germany," Habeck told reporters at a news conference in Berlin.
Habeck called on Germans to reduce their fuel consumption as part of a national effort.
"We are making an appeal to reduce gas consumption, especially with a view to the coming winter months."
The minister said that the government's decision to raise the "alarm" level is due to the cuts in Russian supplies made since June 14 and the continued high price of gas on the market.
Habeck said the third and highest level is "emergency."
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4:05
Germany relies heavily on gas from Moscow to supply its homes and heavy industry, but has managed to reduce Moscow's share of its imports to 35% from 55% before the start of the war in Ukraine.
Habeck said that security of supply is currently guaranteed despite the "worsening of the situation on the gas market" in recent days.
The price hike is "Putin's strategy to destabilize us, raise prices and divide us," Habeck said.
"We are in an economic confrontation with Russia," Habeck said.
Habeck said that although gas storage facilities are currently 58% full — more than this time last year — the goal of reaching 90% by December will not be met without further measures.
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