Europe 1 with AFP 06:38, November 29, 2022

On the 279th day of the invasion in Ukraine, the United States announced that it wanted to release “substantial” financial aid to help deal with the damage to the Ukrainian energy network, after numerous Russian strikes.

For his part, Emmanuel Macron must go to Washington to discuss the conflict with Joe Biden.

The United States is expected to announce "substantial" financial aid to Ukraine on Tuesday to help it deal with the damage caused by Russia to its energy infrastructure, on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Romania, indicated senior US officials on Monday.

This aid, which will be detailed by the American Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who arrived Monday evening in Bucharest, "will be substantial and it is not over", told journalists one of the senior officials speaking under the on condition of anonymity, refusing to give further details or the precise amount.

He recalled, however, that the Biden administration had budgeted $1.1 billion for energy in Ukraine and Moldova.

It is part of the prospect of an international conference of donors in "support for the Ukrainian civil resistance", which will be held on December 13 in France, he underlined.

Russia embarked in early October on a campaign of massive missile strikes targeting energy infrastructure across Ukraine.

According to figures cited by the Ukrainian government, between 25 and 30% of this infrastructure was damaged.

War in Ukraine increases chemical weapons threat, OPCW chief says

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has increased the threat of the use of weapons of mass destruction, including chemical munitions, the head of the global toxic weapons watchdog said on Monday.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) continues to closely monitor the situation in Ukraine, its head Fernando Arias said at the regulator's annual meeting.

"The situation in Ukraine has again heightened the real threat posed by weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons," Arias said during the meeting at the organization's headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands. .

"This has exacerbated existing tensions to a point where the unity of the international community on common global challenges related to international security and peace cannot be assumed," he added.

International disarmament organizations such as the OPCW, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013, "have now become places of confrontation and disagreement", lamented Mr. Arias.

Threats and allegations about the possible use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons have been exchanged since the start of the war in Ukraine in February, but without any evidence that they were deployed.

Macron back in the United States, to discuss Ukraine and protectionism with Biden

Emmanuel Macron is going to Washington on Tuesday for his second state visit, an "honor" which he hopes to take advantage of to push his diplomatic plea on the war in Ukraine and raise his voice against American protectionism.

The Americans will do everything to prevent the slightest friction or a little fresh statement from tarnishing the first state visit organized by Joe Biden.

The French president will be entitled Thursday to all the pomp and all the honors of such a reception, with cannon shots, gala dinner and fireside chat in the famous Oval Office.

John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, on Monday praised this "dynamic" French president whose country, a nuclear power, is "at the center" of all global issues, be it the war in Ukraine or the rise of China.