 "Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will be in France. File image/Reuters")
It is set to be a busy Tuesday with several events lined up for the day.
Firstly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to attend a high-stakes summit in Paris today. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin will be observing the Orthodox Christmas Eve.
The CES tech conference will take place in Las Vegas from January 6 to January 9. Pope Leo XIV will close the enormous bronze door of St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican as the Jubilee Year 2025 will officially conclude. The United States will mark the fifth anniversary of the Capitol Hill attack in 2021.
Here is all that is set to take place throughout the day.
Zelenskyy to attend a summit with allies in France
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to attend a summit in Paris hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. The gathering serves as a critical session for the “Coalition of the Willing”, a group of over 30 nations, to finalise concrete security guarantees for Ukraine.
The focus will be on defining “concrete” commitments to protect Ukraine following any potential peace deal with Russia. This includes discussions on a European-led peacekeeping force and legal obligations to respond with force if Ukraine is attacked again.
The summit occurs amid escalating Russian aggression and just before the fourth anniversary of the invasion. Domestically, Zelenskyy has recently overhauled his cabinet — appointing Mikhailo Fedorov as Defence Minister and Kyrylo Budanov as Chief of Staff — to sharpen focus on these diplomatic and security negotiations.
Putin attends Orthodox Christmas Eve service
Russian President Vladimir Putin will be observing Orthodox Christmas Eve on Tuesday (January 6). This is a tradition he typically marks by attending a midnight Divine Liturgy. In the Russian Orthodox tradition, Christmas is celebrated on January 7, following the older Julian calendar.
The service will begin late on January 6 and continue into the early hours of January 7. Putin often uses these appearances to highlight traditional family values and the historical link between the Russian state and the Orthodox Church.
In recent years, Putin has favored smaller, more personal services over large public gatherings at Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral. In 2024 and 2025, he attended services alongside veterans of the “special military operation” and their families, often at the Church of St. George the Victorious on Poklonnaya Hill or his residence at Novo-Ogaryovo.
Quick Reads
View AllCES tech conference in Las Vegas
The CES tech conference is taking place in Las Vegas today, with the exhibition running from January 6 to January 9. The exhibition will showcase innovations from 4,500 global exhibitors.
Lenovo Chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang is scheduled to host the “Tech World” conference at the Las Vegas Sphere where he will be discussing the future of AI. Companies like Samsung, Sony, Intel, AMD, and Nvidia will have their new products on full display for attendees to experience firsthand.
The Jubilee Year 2025 will be coming to an end
Pope Leo XIV will be closing the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican today, marking the end of the Jubilee Year 2025.
After the final pilgrims pass through, Pope Leo XIV will symbolically close the massive bronze doors. These doors will then be walled up from the inside with a traditional brick structure containing a parchment deed and commemorative medals.
St Peter’s is the last of the four major papal basilicas to close its doors. The other three, namely St Mary Major, St John Lateran, and St Paul Outside the Walls, closed their doors between December 25 and December 28.
The doors will officially open in 2033 for the Extraordinary Holy Year of Redemption. Following the closing of doors, cardinals will convene on January 7 and 8 to discuss the future of the Church.
US Capitol Hill riots anniversary
The United States is marking the fifth anniversary of the 2021 US Capitol attack today. Following Donald Trump’s return to the presidency in 2025, the anniversary is characterised by a “battle to control the narrative” and significant administrative shifts regarding the events of 2021.
The “Faith in Democracy” interfaith concert is being held today at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Washington, DC. The nonpartisan event aims to reclaim the day as one of unity, featuring music from diverse faith traditions.
Activist groups, such as those in Long Island, have organised peaceful demonstrations like “47 Reasons to Take a Stand” to reflect on democratic values.
With inputs from agencies