Some 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the start of Russia's special military operation against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, leaving the military to recruit among a more reluctant pool of men to fill the ranks.
In a rare public estimate, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed his military losses, noting that nearly 380,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been injured and tens of thousands are considered missing or in captivity.
The human toll of this three-year conflict is painfully evident at Maidan Square in the heart of the capital Kiev as hundreds of names and photographs with Ukrainian flags on them fill a memorial zone which has continued to expand.
The effects of a protracted conflict are felt in many places. Living not far away from Kiev, farm owner Ivan Mischenko whose son has been forcibly conscripted told his story.
One of his sons had enlisted in the army, while another was forcibly conscripted and taken away while waiting for a bus nearby. Mischenko was told he would undergo a month and a half of training before being sent to serve. Now, Mischenko has only his 18-year-old youngest son with him.
"But I'm fearful that the youngest one will be taken away," he said.
For Mischenko, his biggest fear is that the draft age will be lowered again: this is a family on the brink of losing its only pair of young working hands.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last April signed a controversial law that lowered the mobilization age from 27 to 25. Since then, conscription patrols have been frantically rounding up men of fighting age throughout Ukraine amid accusations of abuse, the use of force and corruption.
Mischenko said he used to sing in the local choir. He is eager for his sons to pick up where they left off at their last practice more than three years ago.
"But fear isn't the only thing we have. There's also hope. That's what keeps us going. With our own hands, we rebuild what we could," he said.
Ukraine’s three-year toll: 46,000 dead, families cling to hope amid forced conscription crisis
Ukraine’s three-year toll: 46,000 dead, families cling to hope amid forced conscription crisis
Ukraine’s three-year toll: 46,000 dead, families cling to hope amid forced conscription crisis
China and the European Union (EU) have agreed that it is necessary to provide general guidance on price undertakings for Chinese exporters of passenger battery electric vehicles to the EU, China's commerce ministry said on Monday.
The move aims to address relevant concerns in a more practical, targeted, and consistent manner with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, according to the Ministry of Commerce in a statement.
Accordingly, the European Commission will issue a Guidance Document on Submission of Price Undertaking Offers. In the document, the EU confirms that it will assess each undertaking application under the same legal criteria, in accordance with the principle of non-discrimination and relevant WTO rules, in an objective and fair manner.
The progress fully reflects the spirit of dialogue and the outcomes of consultations between China and the EU. It shows that both China and the EU have the ability and willingness to properly resolve differences through dialogue and consultation within the framework of WTO rules, thereby maintaining the stability of automotive industrial and supply chains in China, the EU, and the whole world. This is conducive not only to ensuring the healthy development of China-EU economic and trade relations, but also to safeguarding the rules-based international trade order, the statement said.
On the same day, the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) also issued a statement welcoming the positive outcome of the consultations.
The CCCME noted that eligible Chinese EV makers may now submit price undertaking applications in accordance with the EU's guidance, and the European Commission has pledged to review all applications objectively, fairly, and under uniform standards.
The proper settlement of this case meets the shared expectations of industries along the EV supply chain in both China and Europe. It will help ensure the security and stability of related industrial and supply chains and safeguard the broader China-EU economic and trade relationship, the CCCME said.
The chamber expressed appreciation for the substantial efforts made by China's Ministry of Commerce in defending the interests of the domestic industry. It also pledged to encourage and support relevant Chinese enterprises in making full use of the consultation outcomes to protect their interests in exporting to the EU and promote healthy cooperation between the industries of both sides.
China, EU agree on price undertaking guidance for Chinese electric vehicle exporters: commerce ministry
