The Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk, paid an official visit to France on 31 January and 1 February. During two speeches to the National Assembly and the Senate, he asked for fighter planes and Leclerc tanks to be sent, for a special court to be set up to judge the perpetrators of war crimes and for France to recognise Russia as a terrorist state.

On 2 February, the Council approved additional military assistance measures for Ukraine, including a 7th equipment package of €500 million and €45 million in training aid for the Ukrainian armed forces. The French Minister for the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, and his Australian counterpart, Richard Marles, announced on 30 January that several thousand 155mm shells would be manufactured for supply to Ukraine. On 31 January, on the occasion of the visit of his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksiy Reznikov, he declared that France would deliver 12 new Caesar guns. On 3 February, France and Italy finalised discussions to deliver the SAMP/T - MAMBA air defence system to Ukraine by spring 2023.

The 24th EU-Ukraine Summit was held in Kyiv on 3 February with European Council President Charles Michel, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The three leaders discussed the EU's support for Ukraine, the country's candidacy, and took stock of the implementation of the Association Agreement. The day before, 15 EU commissioners took part in a meeting with the Ukrainian government.

The European Union and G7 members agreed on 4 February on an additional price cap for Russian seaborne oil products which came into effect on 5 February. The agreement sets the price per barrel at $100 for diesel, paraffin and gas oil and $45 for fuel oil and naphtha.

On 2 February, the Commission published its analysis reports assessing the ability of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia to meet the standards and obligations of EU membership. The reports provide a detailed analysis of the state of progress of these countries with regard to the EU acquis.

On 2 February, MEPs approved the lifting of the parliamentary immunity of Marc Tarabella (S&D, BE) and Andrea Cozzolino (S&D, IT), suspected of being involved in the corruption case with Qatar. The procedure was initiated on 16 January following requests from the Belgian judiciary. MEPs also lifted the immunity of Nicolas Bay (NI, FR), who is under investigation in France for inciting racial hatred.

MEPs adopted on 2 February a position for negotiations on new rules to improve conditions for workers on digital platforms. They proposed to determine the status of these workers and to set a framework for the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence to monitor and evaluate workers.

On 30 January, the Ministers of Agriculture discussed the impact of the war on agricultural markets, in particular the very high prices of energy and inputs despite the stabilisation of the market. They reiterated their commitment to support Ukraine, notably through solidarity channels. Furthermore, they discussed a policy for the development of a sustainable bioeconomy.

On 1 February, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejcinovic Buric, presented an action plan to support civil society and democrats in Belarus to the Committee of Ministers, which includes actions for human rights training and the abolition of the death penalty.

On 2 February, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a recommendation to ensure equitable access to medicines and medical equipment in a situation of scarcity. It sets out general human rights and procedural principles to ensure such access, including non-discrimination, prioritisation based on medical criteria, participation of health professionals and civil society and transparency of decisions.

According to figures published by Eurostat on 1 February, the unemployment rate stood at 6.1% in the European Union and 6.6% in the euro area in December 2022, down from 7% in December 2021. Young people are more affected with a rate of 15% in the EU and 14.8% in the euro area.

According to an estimate published on 1 February by Eurostat, the annual inflation rate in the euro area will be 8.5% in January 2023, compared with 9.2% in December 2022. Spain and Luxembourg recorded the lowest rate at 5.8%, while Latvia had the highest rate at 21.6%.

Nearly a year after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, artists are stepping up initiatives to support the Ukrainian people. Until 25 February, the National Assembly in France is exhibiting a series of photographs of works made by the artist C215 in Ukraine in March and April 2022. Until 1 April, the Promocyjna gallery in Warsaw is hosting the first exhibition of Ukrainian painter Vasyl Lyakh, consisting of monumental works showing the conflict from the perspective of civilians living in the occupied territories. Finally, 17 photographs by Ukrainian journalist Anastasia Taylor-Lind are on display until 8 May at the Imperial War Museum in London. These pictures depict the harsh reality of everyday life for civilians in the midst of the conflict.

From 10 February to 4 April, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is hosting the largest exhibition ever devoted to Vermeer. The painter, known for his intimate portraits of everyday life, left only 35 works to our knowledge - the majority of which have now been brought together in this exhibition.

The Granet Museum in Aix-en-Provence is hosting a retrospective exhibition dedicated to David Hockney in partnership with the Tate Gallery in London until May 28. The exhibition, covering more than 700 m², highlights the painter's artistic career, from his beginnings in the 1950s.

The Villa Bassi Rathgeb Museum in Padua is devoting an exhibition to the American photographer Elliott Erwitt until 11 June. More than 150 photographs are on display, some of them rarely exhibited, giving the visitor a glimpse into 20th century American society.

The European House of Photography (MEP) in Paris is devoting an exhibition until 26 March to the Franco-Caribbean photographer Cédrine Scheidig, winner of the Dior Prize for Photography and Visual Arts for Young Talents 2021. Until 4 March, the Picasso Museum in Paris is presenting an exhibition dedicated to Faith Ringgold, an American feminist artist committed to the struggle for civil rights.

The MAPFRE Foundation in Madrid is holding an exhibition devoted to Leonora Carrington, one of the most important female figures of the Surrealist movement, until 7 May. The foundation aims to pay tribute to this artist by highlighting the various forms of expression she experimented with, such as painting, sculpture and writing.

The 2023 edition of the Venice Carnival, based on the theme of the sign, will be held until 21 February. The main parades will begin on 11 February with the gondola parade. In parallel, several shows and parties are being organised by the city, including a nocturnal show on the Arsenal basin.