The European Union (EU) and Ukraine signed a security agreement during Thursday's European Council summit in Brussels.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the summit and signed the security pact in a ceremony with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
According to the document, the EU and its member states have so far collectively provided nearly 108 billion euros (about 115.6 billion U.S. dollars) in assistance to Ukraine.
The EU is determined to continue providing Ukraine and its people with all the necessary political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support for as long as it takes and as intensely as needed, the document noted.
The EU also agreed to use the extraordinary revenue stemming from frozen Russia assets to support Ukraine, according to the agreement.
The agreement also emphasized that Ukraine should continue its reforms in line with its path towards the EU, and strengthen transparency and accountability measures concerning the assistance received.
Von der Leyen pledged on social platform X to keep delivering the weapons, military training and the aid Ukraine needs.
Zelensky noted that the signing of the pact between Ukraine and the EU is a historic choice for Europe. He stressed the hope that the EU can provide ammunition and long-range anti-air weapons to Ukraine as soon as possible and strengthen sanctions against Russia.
The pact does not deal with collective defense provisions but only with arms and other military support.
EU, Ukraine sign security agreement
EU, Ukraine sign security agreement
EU, Ukraine sign security agreement
EU, Ukraine sign security agreement
Central China's Henan Province has striven over the past more than ten years to build itself into a hinterland hub of reform and opening up through vigorous development of aviation logistics and cross-border trade, and with the adoption of a series of reform measures meant to improve the business environment.
In the provincial capital city of Zhengzhou, the Xinzheng International Airport has become the first in China to introduce an automated guided vehicle (AGV) smart application project. Acting on commands issued by the backstage, this groundbreaking project features 40 unmanned forklifts that effortlessly distribute goods to 1,284 standardized storage locations.
Within the sprawling 70,000-square-meter cargo terminal, a sophisticated intelligent system acts as the brain, automatically calculating the remaining storage capacity and providing early warnings for any potential irregularities in every corner. Beyond enhanced operational efficiency, the implementation of this intelligent system has also resulted in faster and more efficient outbound cargo shipments.
Notably, in May 2020, the Xinzheng International Airport became the sole pilot airport designated to operate air cargo e-freight in China on a trial basis.
The air cargo e-freight platform has revolutionized the industry by digitizing various air cargo documents and customs declarations. This seamless integration has created a comprehensive data chain, connecting foreign trade enterprises, freight forwarders, customs authorities and airlines within the aviation logistics operation chain.
Previously, the process of cargo security declarations used to involve cumbersome paperwork. But now, a single unified platform streamlines the procedure, eliminating the need for redundant submissions and multiple physical visits, effectively easing long-standing bottlenecks.
The adoption of such bold reform measures has significantly improved the business environment. Over 260 companies have already joined the e-freight platform, saving more than 1.5 million paper documents annually and increasing data transmission efficiency by over 20 percent.
As a result, the Xinzheng International Airport air cargo e-freight project was selected into the seventh batch of successful reform projects in China's national-level free trade zones, with plans for replication and nationwide promotion.
With over a decade of development, the Xinzheng International Airport has established more than 40 all-cargo routes, creating an extensive air cargo network that spans Europe, America and Asia, covering major global economic hubs.
Central China province strives to turn itself into hub of reform, opening up
