Ukraine Officials to Meet Russian Officials within 48 Hours
Ukraine sought an urgent meeting with Russia to discuss its troops’ buildup and armed equipment near the Ukraine border and seized Crimea
Ukrainian officials called for a meeting with Russian officials and other key European security group member countries over the rising tensions on its border. Dmytro Kuleba, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, said that Russia ignored official demands to explain the military troops’ buildup. Kuleba stated that the next step was asking for a meeting within the next forty-eight hours for transparency about the plans of Russia.
Ukraine sought a meeting with Russia to discuss its troops’ buildup & armed equipment near the Ukraine border. Moscow hadn’t responded to the Kyiv request demanding Russia explain its activities. Ukraine was now looking to meet with Russia within 48 hours.https://t.co/bM5gLC8fDipic.twitter.com/nQnmSIiz3p
On the other hand, Russia denied any plans to attack Ukraine instead of massing up one hundred thousand soldiers on the Ukrainian border. However, some Western countries raised their concerns that Russia is preparing for a military invasion, with the United States saying Moscow could start with airborne attacks at any time. Over a dozen countries advised their residents to leave Ukraine. Even some nations withdrew their embassy staff members from Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital.
The U.S. to Pull Out all its Personnel from Ukrainian Capital
In addition, CBS News reported while citing three sources that the United States is preparing to pull out all its personnel from Kyiv within the next forty-eight hours. On Friday, Kuleba said that Ukraine had demanded answers from Russia about their plans under the rules of the Vienna Document, a deal regarding security issues amid the Organization for Security and Cooperation members, which includes Russia.
He added that if Russia is serious when it discusses the indivisibility of security in the region of OSCE, it must justify its commitment to armed transparency to curb tensions and enhance safety for all. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he had seen no evidence that Russia was planning an attack in the coming days. Zelensky called United States President Joe Biden on the phone for around one hour on Sunday.
According to the White House, Biden had echoed American support for Ukraine and that both heads of the states settled on the significance of continuing to pursue preemption and diplomacy. The statement of the call from Ukraine said that its president thanked the United States for its resolute support. In the end, Zelensky invited Biden to visit Ukraine. On the other side, the White House shared no comments regarding the invite.
Where Russian Troops Positioned
Russian Troops Presence Source: Rochan Consulting, Maxar, 11th February
Previously, western allies made clear one of the key demands of Russia – to never allow Ukraine to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance – is not up for debate, saying the door of NATO must remain open to new members. In the recent effort to find a diplomatic way out, German new Chancellor Olaf Scholz scheduled meetings with Ukrainian President Zelensky in Kyiv on 14th February and Russian President Putin in Moscow on 15th February.
At the same time, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to hold the latest diplomatic dialogs across Europe to bring Russia back from the edge of war. Furthermore, Jake Sullivan, the National Security Adviser of President Biden, said in Washington that an attack could start any day now. The United States intimately observes Russia’s likely false flag operation as a pretense for a full-scale invasion.
