**Germany’s Defense Minister Calls for Unified European Approach**
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius wants Europe to work together when buying military equipment. He made this call after a meeting with defense ministers from the UK, France, Italy, and Poland in Paris.
Pistorius said that Europe should avoid bureaucratic delays by making coordinated and consistent arms purchases. He believes this will make it cheaper for countries to buy what they need. Germany has been one of Ukraine‘s biggest supporters, donating over 8 billion euros in military aid last year.
**Ukraine Updates**
The US is preparing to send more long-range missiles to Ukraine. Sweden is giving Ukraine over $137 million in humanitarian aid. McDonald’s is reopening some restaurants in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia will agree to a ceasefire if Ukraine promises not to mobilize or get military aid during the pause. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he has yet to hear a meaningful response from Russia.
Ukraine has received its first batch of 2.5 billion Canadian dollars from Ottawa under the G7’s Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration initiative. Some officials in Ukraine are expected to be dismissed due to corruption allegations.
**Other News**
The US has tightened sanctions on Russia’s oil and gas industry by not renewing an exemption for Russian banks. A Russian drone strike injured at least seven people in Kharkiv, a city in eastern Ukraine.
Hungary’s ambassador to the EU is threatening to block the extension of EU sanctions on Russia unless Mikhail Fridman is removed from the list.
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