Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected this Monday, March 10 in Saudi Arabia, where a meeting between a delegation of kyiv and an American team will be held on Tuesday, which intends to mention future peace negotiations to end the Russian invasion. These discussions, much awaited after the clash between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in the oval office, must serve to “define a framework for a peace agreement and an initial cease-fire” between Russia and Ukraine, said the American emissary for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who will be present, as well as the American diplomacy Rubio. Ukraine has remained more vague. “We hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps,” said Volodymyr Zelensky, without specifying on what subject.
The information to remember:
⇒ Volodymyr Zelensky and Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia before new discussions
⇒ Ukraine will be able to continue using Starlink satellites, promises Elon Musk
⇒ Europe depends more than 60 % of American armaments, according to the International Peace Research Institute in Stockholm
10:15 am
Jordan Bardella sees Russia “a multidimensional threat to France”
The president of National gatheringJordan Bardella, acknowledged on Monday that Russia constituted “a multidimensional threat to France” and Europe, nuancing the position displayed by Marine Le Pen, but opposed “a hidden war” with “a nuclear power”. “Russia is obviously a threat today multidimensional for France and for European interests,” said the far-right manager on France Inter, citing in particular Russian interference “throughout the electoral campaign” and the situation “in the Black Sea where buildings of the French army are regularly played”.
“The fundamental question that must be asked is that Russia threatens French interests to the point of finding itself in a situation of face to face and war with a power which is a nuclear power?”, He questioned. “I defend the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine but I believe that the future of France and Europe cannot pass into a larger war with a power which is a nuclear power,” he added.
“If after three years, Russia is struggling to move forward in Ukraine, there is little chance that it aims to come to Paris”, had quipped Marine Le Pen on Friday, for whom “Islamist fundamentalism remains the first threats” in France.
9:00 am
Russia announces the expulsion of two British diplomats for espionage
The Russian Security Services (FSB) announced on Monday the revocation of the accreditation of two British diplomats, the second secretary of the embassy and the husband of the first secretary, and their expulsion of Russia “within two weeks” for espionage. The FSB says it has “discovered clues that these diplomats were doing a subversion and intelligence work that threatens the security of the Russian Federation”.
08h00
Europe has increased its dependence on American armaments for five years, according to the Sipri
Imports of weapons from European States members of NATO have more than doubled in the past five years and depend more than 60 % of American armaments, according to a SIPRI report published on Monday. This inventory comes at a time when the European Union (EU) states display their desire to strengthen the continent’s defense capacities in the face of the American disengagement announced by Donald Trump.
Ukraine has become the world’s leading importer in arms over the 2020-2024 period and the United States consolidated its first exporter place (43 % of world exports), ahead of France, reveals the International Peace Research Institute of Stockholm. Over the 2020-2024 period, imports of weapons by European States members of NATO jumped 105 % compared to 2015-2019, “reflecting the general rearmament in Europe in response to the threat of Russia”, notes the SIPRI.
07:30
Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia to meet Volodymyr Zelensky
The boss of American diplomacy will be in Jeddah from Monday to Wednesday to “work on the president’s objective (Donald Trump, editor’s note) to end the war between Russia and Ukraine,” the State Department said in a statement, not taking up the expression “Russian invasion of Ukraine” used by Washington before Donald’s return to power. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also announced that he would be present in Jeddah, as was the American emissary for the Middle East Steve Witkoff.
A meeting between a delegation from kyiv and an American team is scheduled for Tuesday. It will be the first between Ukrainian and American officials since the disastrous visit to Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House at the end of February, which had given rise to a spectacular verbal joust.
“We are going to make a lot of progress. This week I think,” Donald Trump said on Sunday evening. Last month, Marco Rubio had met his Russian counterpart in Saudi Arabia Sergei Lavrov, an unprecedented discussion between officials of this level since the Russian invasion of Ukraine three years ago. Since the verbal confrontation – which symbolized Washington’s diplomatic reversal in this case – between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky the Americans have suspended the crucial military aid they bring to kyiv, as well as the sharing of intelligence.
07:00
Ukraine will be able to continue using Starlink satellites, promises Elon Musk
The multimillionaire Elon Musk, special advisor to Donald Trump, promised on Sunday to maintain Ukrainian access to his network of Satellites Starlink, after lively online exchanges with the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski. “To be extremely clear, despite all my disagreements with Ukraine policy, Starlink will never close his terminals,” wrote Elon Musk on his social network X.
Before that, Elon Musk had cast doubt by writing: “My Starlink system is the spine of the Ukrainian army. All their front line would collapse if I put it out.” This pushed the Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski to answer him: “It is the Polish ministry for digitization that pays the Starlink satellites for Ukraine, for $ 50 million a year.” “Shut up, little man. You pay a small part of the total cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink,” said Elon Musk.