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Volodymyr Zelensky is in Germany to meet with Ukraine’s main allies, at a time when Ukrainian forces are retreating on the eastern front and fear American disengagement after Donald Trump’s return to power.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky estimated this Thursday, January 9 that a possible deployment of Western troops in Ukraine would help “force Russia into peace”, ensuring that he saw a “period of opportunities” opening with the upcoming arrival of Donald Trump at the White House. Speculation is rife about possible future peace talks after nearly three years of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while Donald Trump has promised to work to quickly end the war.
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Among the ideas explored by European chancelleries and Washington is that of deploying a military contingent in Ukraine to ensure the maintenance of a hypothetical ceasefire. “The deployment of partner contingents is one of the best instruments” to “force Russia into peace”, judged Zelensky during a meeting in Germany in the “Ramstein format”, which brings together the main allies of the Ukraine. This hypothesis, which was discussed in particular in mid-December between French leaders Emmanuel Macron and Polish leaders Donald Tusk, was rejected by Russia, which described it as “premature”.
-A “new chapter” opens “for Europe”
Volodymyr Zelensky also stressed that a “new chapter” was opening “for Europe” with the entry into office of Donald Trump on January 20. For the Ukrainian head of state, this will be “a moment when we will have to cooperate even more, rely even more on each other and achieve even greater results together.” “I see this time as a time of opportunity,” he said.
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In Germany, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced new military aid for Ukraine amounting to around $500 million. This “includes additional missiles for Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense, more ammunition”, particularly for air-ground weapons, “and other equipment to support the Ukrainian F-16s”, he explained. Zelensky, for his part, called on kyiv’s allies to “participate even more actively” in the development of an “arsenal of drones” for Ukraine, devices that have become essential in this war.
