MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin signaled on Monday that it was ready to continue discussing with the West the security grievances that led to the current crisis in Ukraine, raising hopes that Russia would not invade its beleaguered neighbor. here a few days as American and European allies grow in fear.
Questions remain, however, about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intentions. And countries evacuate diplomats and on high alert for possible impending war amid the worst East-West tensions since the Cold War.
On a final diplomatic trip, the German Chancellor said there was “no reasonable reason” for the buildup of more than 130,000 Russian troops on Ukraine’s northern, southern and eastern borders. is, and he called for more dialogue.
The British Prime Minister said Europe was “on the edge of a precipice” – but added: “there is still time for President Putin to take a step back”. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told French television that “all the elements” were in place for a strong Russian offensive, but “there is no evidence today” that Putin has decided to do so. throw one.
Despite warnings from Washington, London and elsewhere that Russian troops could move into Ukraine as early as Wednesday, Monday’s meeting between Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested otherwise.
During the session with Putin, Lavrov argued that Moscow should hold more talks with the United States and its allies despite their refusal to consider Russia’s key security demands.
Moscow, which denies plans to invade Ukraine, wants Western guarantees that NATO will not allow Ukraine and other former Soviet countries to become members. He also wants the alliance to halt arms deployments in Ukraine and withdraw its forces from Eastern Europe – demands flatly rejected by the West.
The talks “cannot go on forever, but I would suggest continuing and expanding them at this stage,” Lavrov said, noting that Washington has offered to hold a dialogue on the limits of missile deployments in Europe, the restrictions on military exercises and other confidence-building measures. -construction measures. Lavrov said the possibilities for talks “are far from exhausted”.
His comments, in an orchestrated appearance for television cameras, seemed intended to send a message to the world about Putin’s own position: that hopes for a diplomatic solution are not yet dead.
Putin noted that the West might try to drag Russia into “endless talks” and wondered if there was still a chance of reaching an agreement. Lavrov replied that his ministry would not allow the United States and its allies to block major Russian demands.
The United States reacted coldly to Lavrov’s comments.
“The path of diplomacy remains available if Russia chooses to engage constructively,” said Karine Jean-Pierre, senior deputy White House press secretary. “However, we are lucid about the prospects of this, given the steps Russia is taking on the ground in plain sight.”
US officials said the Russian military was apparently continuing its attack preparations along Ukraine’s borders. A US defense official said a small number of Russian ground units had been leaving larger staging areas for several days, taking up positions closer to the Ukrainian border at what would be jumping off points if Putin launched a invasion.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss information not made public. CBS News was the first to report on the movement of the units.
Satellite images taken over the past 48 hours show increased Russian military activity in Belarus, Crimea and western Russia, including the arrival of helicopters, ground attack aircraft and fighter-bombers at forward positions. The photos also show ground forces leaving their garrisons and combat units moving in convoy formation, according to Maxar Technologies, a commercial satellite imagery company that monitors the Russian buildup.
The head of Ukraine’s Security and Defense Council, Oleksiy Danilov, downplayed the threat of invasion, but warned of the risk of “internal destabilization” by unspecified forces.
“Today we don’t believe that a full-scale offensive by the Russian Federation could take place on (February) 16 or 17,” he told reporters after meeting lawmakers. “We are aware of the risks that exist on the territory of our country. But the situation is absolutely under control.
As if to show defiance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared Wednesday to be a “day of national unity”, calling on the country to fly the blue and yellow flags and sing the national anthem in the face of “hybrid threats”.
“Our country today is stronger than ever. This is not the first threat that the strong Ukrainian people are facing,” Zelenskyy said Monday evening in a video address to the nation. “We are calm. strong. We are together. A great nation in a great country.
The country is nevertheless preparing. Kyiv residents received letters from the mayor urging them to “defend your city” and signs appeared in apartment buildings pointing to the nearest air-raid shelter. The mayor says the capital has around 4,500 such sites, including underground car parks, metro stations and basements.
Dr. Tamara Ugrich said she stocked up on cereals and canned goods and packed an emergency suitcase.
“I don’t believe in war, but on TV the tension is rising every day and it’s getting harder and harder to keep calm. The more we are told not to panic, the more nervous people get,” she said.
Others took the advice of Ukrainian leaders not to panic. Street music flooded Maidan’s central square on Sunday evening and the crowds danced. “I feel calm. You should always be ready for anything, and then you will have nothing to fear,” said Alona Buznitskaya, a model.
In what could be a crucial week for Europe’s securityGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Ukraine on Monday before heading to Moscow for talks with Putin on a high-stakes diplomatic foray.
After meeting Zelenskyy, Scholz urged Russia to show signs of de-escalation and reiterated unspecified threats to Russia’s financial situation if it invaded.
“There is no valid reason for such a military deployment,” Scholz said.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke with Lavrov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and said in a statement that “abandoning diplomacy for confrontation is not a not over a line, it’s a dive over a cliff”.
US President Joe Biden spoke by telephone with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday. According to a statement from Downing Street, the two “agreed that there remained a crucial window for diplomacy and for Russia to withdraw from its threats to Ukraine”.
The United States said it would close its embassy in Kyiv and move all remaining staff to Lviv, a city near the Polish border. Lithuania has also moved families of diplomats and some non-essential diplomatic workers out of the country.
“It’s a big mistake that some embassies moved to western Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said. “It’s their decision, but ‘Western Ukraine’ doesn’t exist. This is United Ukraine. If something happens, God forbid, it (the escalation) will be everywhere.
So far, NATO’s warnings have had little effect: Russia has only reinforced troops and weapons in the region and launched massive exercises in its ally Belarus, which is also close to Ukraine. The West fears the drills, which run until Sunday, could be used by Moscow as cover for an invasion from the north.
A possible way out emerged this week: Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko, raised the possibility that Ukraine would suspend its NATO bid – a goal enshrined in its constitution – if it avoided the war with Russia.
“We could – especially be threatened like this, blackmailed and pressured into doing it,” Prystaiko told BBC Radio 5.
On Monday, Prystaiko appeared to balk at the idea, but the fact that it was brought up suggests it is being discussed behind closed doors.
Pressed on Monday on Ukraine’s ambitions within NATO, the Ukrainian president remained vague, calling them a “dream”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would welcome such a move.
___
Karmanau reported from Kiev, Ukraine. Associated Press writers Angela Charlton and Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Jill Lawless in London, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.
Comments are closed.