Europe

BRUSSELS (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is wrapping up a whirlwind tour of his major European backers, already heading home with heaps of goodwill, promises of more military aid and, as hardware goes, France’s highest medal of honor.

Zelenskyy arrived at the European Union’s legislature in Brussels on Thursday. The Ukrainian anthem was played at the protocol entrance, followed by the European anthem.

MOSCOW, February 8. /TASS/:  Russian forces struck 74 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and equipment in over 120 areas in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Wednesday.

"In the past 24 hours, operational-tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 74 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 123 areas," the spokesman said.

MOSCOW, February 8. /TASS/: The recent earthquake in Turkey did not provoke serious threats to the implementation of joint infrastructure projects of Moscow and Ankara, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told reporters on Wednesday.

"The construction of the Akkuyu NPP is now underway. Our representatives provide real-time information about the construction. So far, we proceed from the fact that there are no serious threats to the implementation of the agreed infrastructure projects," the Deputy Foreign Minister said.

WARSAW, February 8. /TASS/: Western states may ship the first batch of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine within the first three or four months of this year, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said during his visit to Warsaw Wednesday.

"We could deliver at least one battalion within the first four months of this year, maybe three; and we will have to act as fast as we can after that," PIsorius said, adding that the a tank battalion is likely to include 31 tanks.

MOSCOW, Feb 8 (NNN-TASS) – The Russian Foreign Ministry, yesterday, denounced Washington for hyping the situation regarding China’s civilian unmanned airship.

“We believe that the explanation given by the Chinese side regarding the entry of a Chinese unmanned airship into U.S. airspace, due to force majeure, is quite sufficient and understandable,” the ministry’s spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, said in a statement.

Feb 8 (Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday the United States had questions to answer over its role in explosions on the undersea Nord Stream gas pipelines last year.

Commenting on a report published earlier on Wednesday that said the United States was involved in the explosions, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on the White House to comment on the "facts" that had been presented.