Did you miss the latest events on the war in Ukraine? 20 Minutes takes stock for you every evening. Between the strong declarations, the advances on the front and the results of the fighting, here is the essential part of this Thursday, January 9, 2025, the 1,051st day of the war.
Fact of the day
Eleven days before the inauguration of Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky is forcing destiny. During a meeting of his allies at the American base in Ramstein, Germany – the last under the aegis of the Biden team – the Ukrainian president brought up the hypothesis of sending Western troops into his country. According to him, it is “one of the best instruments” to “force Russia into peace”. This perspective, defended by Emmanuel Macron, comes up against skepticism from other European countries. But Western chancelleries are exploring with the Biden administration the possibility of setting up an international military contingent in Ukraine to enforce a possible ceasefire, which Donald Trump promised to obtain “in 24 hours”.
Sentence of the day
« Ukraine’s fight concerns us all. If Putin swallows Ukraine, his appetite will only grow.” » »
This is the last message launched on European soil by the American Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin. The departing head of the Pentagon wanted to reassure the Europeans and primarily Ukraine before the transfer of power. “The United States of America has always been a reliable partner, we will always be a reliable partner in the future (…) Our values do not change, nor does our commitment to our allies and partners,” he said. assured.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni agreed: “Frankly, I don’t see a disengagement” from the United States, she said, before receiving Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome this Thursday evening.
The number of the day
30.000. The number of new drones that a coalition co-led by the United Kingdom and Latvia brought to Ukraine. This announcement was made this Thursday in Ramstein by British Defense Minister John Healey. “The courage of the Ukrainian people continues to inspire the world, and this meeting of more than 50 nations sends a clear message to Putin,” the minister said of the allies’ meeting in Germany.
Today’s trend
If Volodymyr Zelensky is pressing with his allies, it is because the news from the front is bad. This Thursday, Russian forces managed to establish a bridgehead by crossing the Oskil, a river which until now separated the positions of the two camps, according to a local Ukrainian official. This symbolic dividing line could well be broken down in the coming days. Which would not put Ukraine in a strong position to negotiate against Vladimir Putin who has long made demands that would sound like a surrender for kyiv.
Our file on the war in Ukraine
As a reminder, Russia claims four Ukrainian regions which it partially occupies, in addition to Crimea which it annexed in 2014. Vladimir Putin also demands that Ukraine renounces joining NATO.
