► Washington announces new military aid of 500 million dollars
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Thursday, January 9, new American military aid to Ukraine amounting to approximately $500 million (485 million euros), a few days before Donald’s inauguration Trump.
“Ukraine’s fight concerns us all”said Lloyd Austin who is leading his last meeting of the “contact group” partners from kyiv to Ramstein, an American air base not far from Frankfurt.
► Zelensky calls for the deployment of Western troops
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky estimated that the arrival on January 20 at the White House of Donald Trump opened a “new chapter” for Europeans, who must “cooperate even more”ensuring that they see a “period of opportunity”.
The Ukrainian president also estimated that the deployment of Western troops in Ukraine will help to “force Russia into peace”.
“The deployment of partner contingents is one of the best instruments” pour “force Russia into peace”Volodymyr Zelensky said during a meeting in Germany at « format Ramstein »which brings together Ukraine’s main allies.
► The EU says it is “ready” to lead support for Ukraine
The EU is “ready to take over” to lead military support to Ukraine “if the United States does not want to do it”declared the head of EU diplomacy, Kaja Kallas eleven days before the inauguration of Donald Trump.
Kaja Kallas at the same time said “safe” that Washington is going “continue its support for Ukraine”. “Whoever is the leader of the United States, I think it is not in America’s interest for Russia to be the strongest power in the world.”she declared, before a meeting of the “contact group” partners from kyiv to Germany.
► Zelensky in Germany to meet his allies
Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Germany to meet with Ukraine’s allies gathered under the auspices of the United States to discuss their military aid.
-This meeting of “contact group” of kyiv’s partners is Ramstein, an American air base not far from Frankfurt. She will be the last of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joe Biden’s minister who will be replaced on January 20 by the Republican billionaire.
Volodymyr Zelensky, who had already traveled to Ramstein for the previous meeting in September, said he also planned “conversations with partners at the level of defense ministers and military commanders”.
The head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte are also announced.
► Fire continues in Russian oil depot
A fire continues for the second consecutive day at an oil site in Engels, in the Russian region of Saratov, struck the day before by Ukrainian drones, in response, according to kyiv, to the bombings on Ukraine.
“Emergency services continue to struggle with the consequences of the drone attack”indicated the regional governor, Roman Boussarguine, on Telegram.
Two firefighters died Wednesday, according to authorities, in the fire in Engels, located about 700 kilometers southeast of Moscow and some 500 km from the Ukrainian border.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian army said it had struck the Combinat Kristall oil depot in Engels during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, claiming that this site “supplied fuel to the Engels-2 military airfield”. According to media reports, this air base hosts Tupolev strategic bombers that Russia has used to fire cruise missiles at cities and critical infrastructure in Ukraine since the Ukraine offensive began almost three years ago.
