Did you miss the latest events on the war in Ukraine? 20 minutes takes stock for you every evening at 7:30 p.m. Between the strong declarations, the advances on the front and the results of the battles, here are the main points of the day.
The fact of the day
It’s a last-ditch call: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived this Monday in Washington where he hopes to obtain the release of a capital package for his country at war. The United States is the largest military supporter of kyiv, but Democratic President Joe Biden’s promise to continue financial support to Ukraine is in serious jeopardy. The American Congress thus failed last week to vote on a component of more than 61 billion dollars for this country at war.
Volodymyr Zelensky therefore hopes with his visit to increase the pressure on the American ally. The Ukrainian president delivered a speech, alongside US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin. “We hope to be able to count on you,” he said before adding: any delay in aid to Ukraine is a “dream come true” for Vladimir Putin. The Russian president must “lose” the war, Zelensky once again pleaded, wearing a khaki sweater flocked with the message: “I am Ukrainian”.
But Tuesday will undoubtedly be the most crucial day of his trip. Early in the morning, Volodymyr Zelensky will go to the American Congress and then to the White House where he will speak with his American counterpart, Joe Biden.
Sentence of the day
I hope that the unity of the European Union will not be broken, because now is not the time to weaken our support for Ukraine. »
These are the words of the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell, upon his arrival in Brussels for a meeting of EU foreign ministers. Note that three days before a crucial European summit which must decide on the continuation of its path towards the EU, Ukraine is worried about a lack of consensus among the 27, against the backdrop of the lone rider of the Hungary.
The number of the day
2. This is the number of nuclear submarines inaugurated this Monday by Vladimir Putin, traveling in the Far North. These new nuclear submarines will join the Russian fleet, promising to continue to “increase the naval power” of the country, assured the Russian president.
Today’s trend
The territories occupied by Russia in eastern and southern Ukraine will take part in the Russian presidential elections in March 2024, the Electoral Commission announced, a vote which should see the re-election of Vladimir Putin. The members of the Commission “unanimously” adopted the resolution approving this modality, one of its officials, Nikolai Bulaev, declared to the state press agency Tass.
Russia has already organized several elections in these territories (Zaporijjia, Kherson, Donetsk and Lugansk) whose annexation it proclaimed in September 2022, despite the fighting, the condemnations of the international community and the fact that Moscow only partially controls these regions. As early as last week, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered that the organization of polls in these regions was “null and void” and “violates international law”.
As a reminder, Vladimir Putin announced on Friday that he was a candidate for a fifth term in the presidential election on March 17 in Russia. The Russian head of state, whom a 2020 constitutional revision authorizes to be a candidate again in 2030, can theoretically remain in the Kremlin until 2036, the year he turns 84. His re-election is hardly in doubt, especially since the opposition has been dismantled by repression.