Moldova's president visit to Kyiv, sham presidential election in Belarus - Weekend brief
RBC-Ukraine collage
The President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, visited Kyiv this past weekend. Meanwhile, Belarus held a sham presidential election with Aleksandr Lukashenko running for his seventh term.
Read more about what happened over the weekend.
Sandu's visit in Kyiv
On Saturday, January 25, Moldova’s President Maia Sandu arrived in Kyiv. She said that her visit to Ukraine was at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
During a press conference with the president, Sandu said that Russia was trying to once again use Transnistria to destabilize Moldova. According to her, the country is ready to defend its security and cooperate with Ukraine to resolve the crisis.
USAID suspends all projects in Ukraine
After the inauguration, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order freezing aid programs to foreign countries for 90 days. These programs would be reviewed to determine if they align with Trump’s administration's political goals.
The State Department also issued a directive to freeze international aid and suspend new assistance, resulting in the lull of some humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
By Sunday, January 26, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Ukraine received an order to suspend projects and their funding.
Trump administration suspends immigration programs for Ukrainians
Department of Homeland Security officials ordered the suspension of several programs that allowed immigrants to settle in the United States temporarily. This order includes a key initiative providing entry for Ukrainians.
US may announce 'very big bounty' for Taliban leaders
The United States is ready to announce a "'very big bounty'" for Taliban leaders. It turned out that the Taliban were holding more Americans than previously reported.
EU says Belarus holds sham election
On January 26, the presidential "election" was taking place in Belarus. Aleksandr Lukashenko, who has been in power for 30 years, is running for his seventh term.
The last election in 2020 ended in protests over rigged results. Many opposition politicians were jailed. Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya fled the country.
The EU has stated that it considers the "election" in Belarus to be sham, and Lukashenko illegitimate.
Lukashenko himself has complained that there is no replacement for him, which is why he supposedly had to run for election.
UN mission may oversee ceasefire in Ukraine: EU General outlines scenario
The head of the EU Military Committee, General Robert Brieger declares that a UN mission composed of soldiers from various countries could observe the ceasefire in Ukraine. It could include not only soldiers from the EU.
"A possible mission under a UN mandate could include not only Europeans but also soldiers from the Global South or, for example, the Caucasus. EU soldiers would undoubtedly be able to make a significant contribution," the general said.
Over 200 Shaheds destroyed in Russian Oryol region - Ukrainian Armed Forces
The Air Force units, in cooperation with other components of the Defense Forces, have attacked the storage facilities for Shahed attack drones in the Oryol region of Russia. About 200 drones will no longer be able to attack Ukraine.
