According to the US, Iran is expanding support for Russia

Selenskyj ends European tour

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has returned to Ukraine after a tour of four European countries. “We are returning home with new defense packages: more ammunition, more powerful weapons for the front, more protection for our people, more political support,” the 45-year-old summed up the journey in a video recorded on the train on Monday. His peace formula for a complete withdrawal of Russian troops from the state of Ukraine came up in all talks in Italy, Germany, France and Britain.

There is now more support for the country’s accession to the EU, Zelenskyy said. “There is more understanding of joining NATO, it will come, it is inevitable.” Monday he had visited London, Sunday Berlin, Aachen and Paris, Saturday Rome.

The president especially thanked Germany for the new defense package worth 2.7 billion euros, including the Iris air defense systems, artillery, armor and ammunition. “In addition, Germany supports our country in the long term: there is eleven billion euros for it, purely for defense,” he said. His country’s victory was now closer.

Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion with massive Western aid for more than 14 months. A major Ukrainian counter-offensive has been expected for some time.

The current developments around the war in the live ticker:

Macron: Door open to train Ukrainian pilots in fighter jets

In Paris, French head of state Emmanuel Macron announced after the meeting with Zelenskyy that Ukrainian pilots would be trained for fighter jets. “We opened the door to train Ukrainian pilots,” Macron told French television channel TF1 on Monday evening. “The training can now begin.” Several European countries had concluded that it was now necessary to start training. When asked if France would also supply fighter jets, he replied: “No, I wasn’t talking about airplanes.”

Macron said in an interview that Ukraine would receive more ammunition and equipment. In addition, they want to help train the troops and repair cannons and vehicles.

US: Russia and Iran expand military cooperation

According to the US government, Russia and Iran are expanding their military cooperation. National Security Council communications director John Kirby said Iran will continue to supply attack drones to Russia. Iran has delivered more than 400 drones to Russia since August. Most of them have already been used in the Russian offensive war against Ukraine – mainly for the purpose of destroying critical infrastructure there.

Iran is one of Moscow’s biggest military supporters and is allowing Russian President Vladimir Putin to continue killing Ukrainians, Kirby said. It is therefore planned “in the coming days” to impose further punitive measures against those involved in the increasing arms deals between Russia and Iran. The US has already imposed far-reaching sanctions on both countries, but there is still room for more.

Pentagon: Abram’s training tank arrived at Grafenwoehr, Bavaria

According to the US Department of Defense, 31 Abrams training tanks have arrived at the military training ground in Grafenwoehr, Bavaria. Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said Monday in Washington. Ukrainian forces are expected in Grafenwöhr “in the coming weeks” and will begin training on the tanks. At the end of January, after much back-and-forth and parallel to the German commitment to supply Leopard tanks to Kiev, the US government announced that it would deliver 31 M1 Abrams main battle tanks to Ukraine.

Violent explosions of anti-aircraft missiles shake Kiev

Violent explosions from anti-aircraft missiles have shaken residents of the Ukrainian capital Kiev. Rocket debris fell on the grounds of the city zoo, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Tuesday. He said three people were injured and a larger building was damaged. Several cars also caught fire. According to the military administration, four districts were affected. Air raid sirens had been sounded throughout the country during the night.

Ukraine: Chief Justice Arrested for Millions of Dollars in Corruption

Meanwhile, Ukraine is rocked by a new corruption scandal. Anti-corruption fighters have discovered that millions of dollars in bribes have been paid to the Supreme Court. Court chairman Vsevolod Knyasiev was arrested after receiving three million dollars (2.76 million euros), the internet newspaper Ukrajinska Pravda reports. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) published a photo of bundles of banknotes in a bank. Details to be announced later. Kyiv media reported that other judges of the Supreme Judiciary had been raided.

According to their own statements, NABU and the Special Prosecutor’s Office have “discovered large-scale corruption in the Supreme Court, in particular a scheme to obtain undue advantages from the leadership and judges of the Supreme Court,” the statement from both authorities said. . The reports did not reveal who should have bribed whom and why.

What will be important on Tuesday

The war in Ukraine will also be a topic at the Council of Europe summit, for which some 30 European heads of state and government will travel to Reykjavik, Iceland. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, among others, have reported. At the two-day summit, the countries want to see how Russia can be held responsible for its offensive war against Ukraine. Russia will leave the Council of Europe in 2022. The Council of Europe is committed to the protection of human rights and is independent of the EU. That is why the 46 members also include countries such as Great Britain, Turkey and Ukraine. (con/sda/dpa)