Explaining complex things in simple words: Meeting in Normandy, European Parliament elections, Ukranian Energy system

MEETING IN NORMANDY

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in international commemorative events for the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy during World War II.

• The meeting in Normandy brought together the leaders of democratic countries that continue the work of the anti-Hitler coalition. Among the participants in the event are French President Emmanuel Macron, the United Kingdom’s King Charles III, and U.S. President Joe Biden.
•     Naturally, representatives of the aggressor state of the Russian Federation were not invited to the event. Modern Russia imitates Hitler's Germany in its foreign and domestic policies.
•     History has proven that the landing in Normandy in 1944 was a more effective way of influencing the aggressor than the Normandy Format of 2014-2021.
•     80 years ago, it was possible to defeat the axis of evil only with the joint efforts of the international coalition. This time, the cohesion and active involvement of Ukraine's partners are just as important.
•     In Normandy, the President of Ukraine met with colleagues from France and the U.S. and discussed a number of urgent political issues related to repelling Russian aggression.

2. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS

On June 6-9, the EU countries’ citizens elect members of the European Parliament for the next 5 years.

• The European Parliament is one of the main institutions of the EU, which approves the legislative initiatives of the European Commission and the European Council, approves the composition of the European Commission, and elects its chairman.
•     It is the European Parliament that finally approves EU decisions concerning Ukraine and its fight against aggression: military aid packages and sanctions against Russia, etc.
•     The European Parliament represents different segments of EU society, its attitudes, interests, and priorities. The European Parliament of 2019- 2024 was sympathetic to Ukraine and principled towards the aggressor.
•     Russia is actively interfering in the European Parliament elections to influence the result and form its lobby of corrupt, populist, and radical forces that harm European unity and Ukraine.
•     The Kremlin treats democracy as a vulnerability that can be used to achieve its goals. The EU should put an end to such attempts and strongly oppose Russian influence operations.

3. UKRAINIAN ENERGY SYSTEM

Head of Ukrenergo Volodymyr Kudrytskyi announced that an additional power unit at the NPP will be put into operation on the night of June 7-8, which will partially improve the situation in the power system.

•     The Ukrainian energy industry was seriously damaged by the Russian terrorist attacks. That’s why we have a shortage of electricity.
•     Currently, the load on the power system is high due to the hot weather and the air cooling systems' operation. At the same time, the humanitarian consequences are not as severe as they could be in the winter.
•     Due to the damage to a significant part of thermal power stations, the importance of the nuclear power industry in Ukraine, which is modernizing and increasing capacity, is rising.
•     Currently, power units at the NPP are gradually being put into operation after planned repairs, which will partially improve the situation. However, scheduled blackouts are still necessary.
•     We call for responsible and frugal consumption of electricity, its saving, and the refusal of excessive loads on the power system.

Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security