Ukraine announced – on Thursday – the arrival of advanced US missile launchers to strengthen its military arsenal in the face of the Russian attack, while awaiting an important decision by the European Union regarding giving it and Moldova membership status to start its accession to the union.

As the fighting intensified, especially in eastern Ukraine, the separatist Luhansk authorities said that Russian forces had taken control of the only remaining supply route for Ukrainian forces in the city of Lyschansk.

The control of Russian forces on the only remaining supply route for Ukrainian forces in the city of Lysichansk means that military supplies to about 7,000 Ukrainian forces in the city have been cut off.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov announced the arrival in Ukraine of the American HIMARS missile launchers, a system that is characterized by high accuracy and has a launch range of 80 km.

“Himars has arrived in Ukraine. Thank you to my colleague and friend Lloyd Austin (US Secretary of Defense) for these powerful tools,” Reznikov wrote in a tweet, accompanying his message with a picture of this portable rocket launcher system installed on light armored vehicles.

Apparently waiting

Ukraine’s receipt of the American bombers comes at a time when the leaders of the European Union member states are meeting in Brussels today to discuss 3 files, on top of which will be giving the final opinion on granting both Ukraine and Moldova membership status, to begin their accession to the union.

In addition to this meeting, whose results are eagerly awaited by Kyiv, the Belgian capital will also witness meetings with the countries of the Western Balkans, in a separate summit to discuss the path of the six countries’ accession to the Union.

The second day will witness a summit of the euro countries, to announce that Croatia will officially join the countries that use the currency, starting from the first of next January, bringing the number to 20.

European Council President Charles Michel said that today’s Brussels summit will be historic, and that Ukraine and Moldova will be granted the status of a candidate for membership in the European Union.

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Olga Stevanishina said that she is absolutely sure that all EU member states will agree to grant Ukraine the status of a candidate member of the EU, during the summit to be held today and tomorrow in Brussels.

In an interview with the Associated Press, the Ukrainian official expressed her belief that Ukraine could join the European Union within years, not decades, as some European officials expected.

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration emphasized that countries that were reluctant – such as the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark – about starting accession talks with Ukraine during the Russian military operation, are now supportive.