LIVE – Zelensky in Washington: for the Kremlin, new US arms deliveries will “aggravate” the conflict

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will travel to Moscow on Thursday, reports the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, for discussions on the establishment of a security zone around Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

The Kremlin has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not plan a meeting with Rafael Grossi on this occasion.

Russians and Ukrainians have been accusing each other for months of shelling the Zaporijjia site, at the risk of causing a catastrophe.

The Kremlin said on Wednesday it did not expect kyiv to change its stance on peace talks, while President Zelensky is on his way to Washington.

New US arms deliveries to Ukraine will “aggravate” the conflict, the Kremlin has also warned. “All this certainly leads to an escalation of the conflict and does not bode well for Ukraine,” said Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, referring to new arms deliveries to kyiv.

While President Volodymyr Zelensky is to address the American elected members of Congress on Wednesday, the leader of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, sent him a letter of invitation.

“The United States and the world stand in awe of the heroism of the Ukrainian people. In the face of Putin’s atrocities, Ukrainian freedom fighters inspired the world with iron will and indomitable spirit – fighting the invasion brutal, unjustified from Russia,” she wrote.

“Ukraine’s fight is the fight for democracy. We look forward to hearing your inspiring message of unity, resilience and determination,” she added.

In a letter dated Tuesday, Nancy Pelosi had “encouraged” parliamentarians to be “physically present” Wednesday evening for a session “particularly devoted to democracy”.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev traveled to Beijing for a surprise diplomatic visit and met Chinese President Xi Jinping for a talk during which they reportedly discussed the Ukraine conflict. Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, posted a video on his Telegram channel showing him with Xi Jinping, smiling for photos, as well as a meeting between Chinese and Russian officials.

Dmitry Medvedev said he and Xi Jinping discussed the “limitless” strategic partnership of the two countries, as well as Ukraine. He did not provide further details.

“We discussed cooperation between the two ruling parties in China and Russia, (…) bilateral cooperation within the framework of our strategic partnership, especially in the field of economy and industrial production. We also discussed international issues – including, of course, the conflict in Ukraine,” Dmitry Medvedev said. “The interviews were useful,” he added.

Oleksiy Gontcharenko, Ukrainian deputy, spoke on our antenna this Wednesday, while the Ukrainian president is on his way to Washington. “This is a very important moment because it is the first time that the president has left Ukraine for a visit abroad,” said the elected official, calling the United States “the greatest ally of the country. ‘Ukraine, military and financial’.

“The most important objective of this visit is a new congressional decision for new support for Ukraine,” he added, as US lawmakers prepare to announce new aid to the tune of ” nearly two billion dollars.

As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Bakhmut on Tuesday, a town in the east of his country ravaged by intense fighting with Russian forces who have been trying to take it since the summer and currently the hottest spot from the front, the British Ministry of Defense reports, in its daily note, “small advances” by the Russian army in the city.

“Last week, the Russian army and Wagner’s forces made small advances on the eastern part of the city of Bakhmout.” “Street fighting is ongoing,” the ministry added.

First announced this Tuesday evening in the American pressthis visit was confirmed this Wednesday morning by the White House.

The possibility of this trip was raised between the two presidents on December 11, during a telephone conversation. Volodymyr Zelensky accepted the White House invitation on Friday, and his visit was confirmed on Sunday.

During a trip to the eastern front on Tuesday, in the city of Bakhmoutthe Ukrainian president had in a way already lifted the veil: receiving a flag from the hand of fighters, he said:

“We’re going to give it to the US Congress, to the US President. We’re grateful to them for their support but it’s not enough.”

Currently on his way to the United States, the Ukrainian president does not arrive empty-handed to meet his American counterpart. According to CNNVolodymyr Zelensly planned to offer Joe Biden and the elected representatives of Congress a Ukrainian flag, signed by soldiers on the Bakhmout front, in the east.

The Head of State recovered the flag on Tuesday, during his visit to this “hot” front of the country. In one video, a Ukrainian soldier gives the flag to his president, asking him to pass it “to our brothers in the United States”.

Belarus issued a decision on Wednesday temporarily restricting access to parts of the Gomel region (oblast), bordering Ukraine and Russia. The government has indicated on its website that “entry, temporary stay and movement near the border in the Loïev, Brahine and Khoiniki raïons in the Gomel oblast are temporarily restricted”.

These restrictions do not apply to officials, workers and residents of these areas, the government added, without specifying how long they would remain in place.

While Volodymyr Zelensky is strengthening ties with his American ally, Vladimir Putin is preparing to bring together some 15,000 senior military officials by videoconference this Wednesday.

The Russian president intends to take stock of “the progress of the special military operation”, and intends to set the objectives of his army for the year 2023.

Russia, which launched a major offensive against its Ukrainian neighbor in February, has suffered major military setbacks in recent months which have forced it to withdraw from the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine and from the city of Kherson in the south. Vladimir Putin admitted on Tuesday that the situation was “extremely difficult” in the four regions of southern and eastern Ukraine which Moscow claims to be annexing without having completely conquered them.

> Our full article can be found here.

The Ukrainian president is therefore on his way to Washington this Wednesday. The opportunity for the United States to reaffirm its support, in particular by announcing new military aid.

As a senior American official told AFP, information confirmed by the White House, the United States will announce “significant” new aid to Ukraine, “nearly $2 billion”, which includes in particular the forthcoming delivery ofa battery of Patriot missilesadvanced air defense equipment.

For the White House, the visit of the Ukrainian president, whose country has been at war for 300 days, shows that Washington will support his country “as long as it takes, by providing economic, humanitarian and military assistance”.

> Our full article summarizing the challenges of this visit can be read here.

According to the White House program, consulted by BFMTV, the Ukrainian president will be welcomed by his American counterpart Joe Biden around 2 p.m. local time (6 p.m. in France).

The two heads of state will meet privately for two hours, for an “in-depth strategic interview”. They will then speak to the press, around 4:30 p.m. (10:30 p.m. in France).

To close this visit, which has already been described as “historic” by the press, Volodymyr Zelensky will speak to the American elected representatives in Congress.

“I am on my way to the United States to strengthen Ukraine’s resistance and defense capabilities,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted on Wednesday morning, expected in Washington.

It is the first time since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24 that President Volodymyr Zelensky leaves his country to go to one of his greatest allies.

First announced this Tuesday evening in the American pressthis visit was confirmed this Wednesday morning by the White House.