Ukraine is concerned that its European and American allies are hesitant, due to internal political dissensions, to provide it with more aid to fight the Russian invasion. But kyiv can count on the United Kingdom. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, traveling to kyiv, announced on Friday January 12 the signing of a ten-year security agreement between his country and Ukraine, hailed as “unprecedented” by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Information to remember
⇒ The new head of French diplomacy in kyiv for his first visit abroad
⇒ Ukraine says Russia launched 40 missiles and drones at country overnight
⇒ Successful Russian writer Boris Akunin classified as a “foreign agent”
The new head of French diplomacy is in kyiv
The new French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, is also going to Ukraine. He arrived this Saturday, January 13 in kyiv to mark Paris’ support for Ukraine as the second sad anniversary of the war between the country and Russia approaches next month. Appointed Thursday as head of French diplomacy, Stéphane Séjourné “arrived in Kiev for his first trip to the field, in order to continue French diplomatic action and to reiterate France’s commitment to its allies and to the alongside civilian populations,” his ministry said on X (formerly Twitter). On site, he assured that Ukraine “will remain France’s priority despite the multiplication of crises”.
“For almost two years, Ukraine has been on the front line to defend its sovereignty and ensure the security of Europe. France’s aid is long-term. This is what I came to say to Kiev for my first trip”, declared the minister, in a message published on the same social network.
Stéphane Séjourné is the first French representative to visit Ukraine since the decision to open accession negotiations with the European Union. He will thus “reaffirm” France’s support “for Ukraine’s European path”. The meeting had initially been planned with outgoing minister Catherine Colonna but a government reshuffle took place Thursday evening, with the appointment of Stéphane Séjourné in her place. “Helping Ukraine means guaranteeing the victory of democracy,” declared the new holder of the post during his handover of power.
Ukraine says Russia launched 40 missiles and drones into country overnight
Russia launched dozens of missiles and drones at Ukraine overnight from Friday to Saturday, the Ukrainian Air Force announced this Saturday. “An enemy air attack with a total of 40 missiles was recorded,” the air force said, adding that it destroyed eight missiles. “More than 20 devices” did not reach their target, diverted by “electronic countermeasures”. This attack took place while kyiv is demanding more resources from its allies to ensure its air defense.
The Russian army, for its part, indicated that it had struck arms factories in Ukraine during the night, ensuring that it had reached “all” of its targets. The Russian Ministry of Defense specified that it had hit, in particular with Kinjal hypersonic devices, installations of the Ukrainian “military-industrial complex” manufacturing shells, gunpowder and drones.
Sébastien Lecornu will receive his Ukrainian counterpart
The French Minister of the Armed Forces will receive his Ukrainian counterpart next week for a meeting focusing in particular on artillery, which kyiv is demanding to be strengthened to defend itself against Russia. Sébastien Lecornu will welcome Rustem Umerov to Paris on Thursday January 18, his office told AFP on Friday evening, after his trip to kyiv last September.
The two men are to open the Launch Conference of the “Artillery Coalition”, one of the thematic working groups of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), under the leadership of France and the United States. It “aims to unite the efforts of the participating nations to help – in the short and long term – Ukraine to have an artillery force adapted to the needs of the counter-offensive and its army of tomorrow,” he said. specified the ministry. The two men must also “visit industrial sites and meet French industrial groups”, to discuss the war economy and the counter-offensive.
Russia: successful writer Boris Akunin classified as “foreign agent”
Russian writer Boris Akunin, who has lived in exile since 2014, was classified on Friday in his country as a “foreign agent”, an infamous term which comes after his placement on the list of “terrorists and extremists”. Real name Grigori Tchkhartishvili, this successful novelist appears on the list of new “foreign agents” published Friday by the Russian Ministry of Justice.
The Russian authorities accuse him of “opposing the special military operation in Ukraine”, the name that Moscow gives to its assault against its neighbor launched in 2022. They also accuse him of having “disseminated inaccurate information aimed at giving a negative image of Russia and its armed forces” and of having raised funds for the Ukrainian army.