Moscow has promised a “strong and painful” response to the sanctions decided by the European Union, Great Britain and the United States
The point about the crisis between Russia and Ukraine:
– Monday 21 February, the Russian president Vladimir Putin
recognized the independence of the pro-Russian republics of Lugansk and Donetsk (which are located in the Donbass region in the east of Ukraine) and has
sent Russian troops to the territory which, for the international community, is de facto Ukrainian.
– On Tuesday the Western countries – the United States, Great Britain, the European Union – launched what they called “the first” sanctions against Russia (here the characters who were hit).
– Wednesday Moscow promised that your response will be “strong and painful”
– The Ukrainian president Zelensky reiterated the request to join the Then and toEuropean Uniondespite Putin’s harsh words on Tuesday: a message that comes as the United States has decided to send hundreds of NATO men and vehicles to the Baltic countries.
– The Turkish president Erdogan, historically close to the Russian leader Putin, told him that “he will not recognize any measure that affects the integrity of Ukraine”. The former US president Donald Trump instead he called Putin “a genius”.
– For tomorrow, Thursday, the planned meeting between the Russian Foreign Minister has been canceled Lavrov and the US Secretary of State flash
.
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4:55 pm – Draghi and the other EU leaders in Brussels tomorrow evening
The President of the European Council Charles Michel has convened an extraordinary summit of EU heads of state and government for tomorrow evening at 20 in Brussels. “The latest developments, how to protect the international order, how to deal with Russia, in particular how to make it accountable for her actions, how to further support Ukraine and her people” will be discussed. For Michel “there is no place in the 21st century for the use of force and coercion to change borders”, “it is important to continue to be united and determined and to define together our collective approach and actions”.
16.50 – Tomorrow (virtual) summit of G7 leaders
The G7 of leaders in digital format is confirmed for tomorrow: a preparatory meeting in view of the summit to be held in Bavaria, at Elmau Castle, from 26 to 28 June. The digital G7 will be held from 3 to 4.30 pm. At the end, a press conference by Chancellor Olaf Scholz is planned.
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16.50 The EU Council formally adopts sanctions against Moscow
The EU Council formally adopted the package of sanctions against Russia after the recognition of the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. The measures will be published by today in the European Official Journal and will be directly applicable.
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4.40 pm – Kuleba’s appeal to the UN: “We need a resolute response from the international community”
“Today we need concrete and resolute actions on the part of the UN and the international community, relevant to the threat we all have to face. We are at a critical moment in history ». Thus the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, at the meeting of the UN General Assembly. “We are in the midst of the greatest security crisis in Europe since the Second World War created unilaterally by Russia – he added – Ukraine has never planned any military action or provocation in the Donbass”.
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16.20 – Hacker attack, down the government, ministries and parliament sites
A large-scale cyber attack is underway in Ukraine. Several sites of the Ukrainian government are unreachable, including the ministries of Health, Security and Foreign Affairs, the Kiev Parliament and the security agencies. Kiev had already warned in recent days of the possibility of a hacker attack against government agencies, banks and the defense sector. A minister told Interfax news agency that services for several Ukrainian institutions, including the ministries of health, security and foreign affairs, were suspended in a so-called Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attack that consists in storming a site with requests, to the point of knocking it out and making it unreachable.
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16.15 – Another soldier killed in bombardment in the East
The armed forces of Kiev report another soldier killed in the east of the country.
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14:36 Ukraine: banks alarm, ECB asks for exposure checks
The ECB is pressing on banks exposed to Russia, asking to evaluate liquidity, loans, trading activities, currency positions and business continuity, in the face of the risks created by the clash between Moscow and Western countries due to the crisis in Ukraine. Bloomberg writes, citing sources familiar with the dossier, according to which the Banking Supervision, in some cases, would be in daily contact with some credit institutions to assess the impact of scenarios ranging from a tightening of sanctions to a real invasion of Ukraine.
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14.22 – Zelensky to Putin: “We want to join the EU and NATO”
Ukrainian President Zelensky responded harshly to the threat arrived in the past few hours by Vladimir Putin, who asked Kiev to cancel the NATO membership application. Zelensky announced that Ukraine confirms its ambitions to join the EU and NATO. “The future of European security,” he said again, is being decided in Ukraine. Zelensky also thanked the West for the sanctions launched against Moscow.
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2.20 pm – Europe and gas
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also spoke about the situation in Ukraine. «Russia has exploited energy in the past months and years and we are really determined not to be dependent on Russian gas anymore. This is a strategic investment for our independence ». .
2.15 pm: Moscow: “The response to sanctions will hurt”
Russia has promised a “strong” and “painful” response to sanctions announced by Washington after Moscow’s recognition of the separatist regions of Ukraine. “There should be no doubts: there will be a strong response to the sanctions, not necessarily symmetrical, but well calculated and painful for the American side,” reads a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry. According to Moscow, the sanctions decided by the US are “counterproductive to Washington’s interests”.
14:02 Started evacuation of Russian diplomats from Kiev
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13:09 Ukraine: Johnson announces new military aid to Kiev
The UK will provide a new military aid package to Ukraine. This was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, quoted by Sky News, explaining that the supply includes lethal and non-lethal weapons
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12:59 pm Di Maio, “Italians leave the country, Kiev embassy fully operational”
Faced with the crisis scenarios in Ukraine, with the risk of a large scale military operation, «we asked our compatriots to leave Ukraine immediately with the commercial means available. In any case, we have decided, in coordination with our European partners, to leave our Embassy in Kiev fully operational ». Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio reiterated this in his briefing to the Senate
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12:10 Di Maio, estimated 170-190 thousand Russian border soldiers
«We condemn Moscow’s decision to send a contingent of troops with self-styled” peace-keeping “functions to the territories of the two separatist republics. It is a gesture that risks exacerbating an already very tense situation ». Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said this in a hearing on the crisis in Ukraine in the Senate. “It is estimated – he added – a Russian presence along the borders with Ukraine between 170 and 190 thousand units”.
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11:46 am The German Economy Minister: “we can do without Russian gas”
Germany will be able to do without Russian gas if necessary. This was stated by the German Minister of Economy, Robert Habeck, guaranteeing that consumers will be assisted in the event of a short-term price increase due to the Ukrainian crisis. “Regarding the short-term price increase and the burden on consumers and businesses, we will provide assistance in another way,” said the ecologist today speaking on radio Deutschlandfunk.
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11:26 am Kiev Security Council calls for a state of emergency
The Ukrainian Security Council has called for a state of emergency in the country and not only in the Donetsk and Lugansk areas. The measure will last 30 days and can be extended for another 30 days.
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11:20 am From the Ukrainian Parliament, green light for weapons to civilians
The Rada, the Ukrainian Parliament, has approved the law that gives the green light to the possession of weapons for the citizens of Ukraine. This was reported by the Tass news agency: in detail, the agency writes, the rule would allow the purchase of weapons and exercise the right to protection, provided for in Article 27 of the Ukrainian Constitution.
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11:14 am The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, citizens leave Russia
The Ukrainian foreign ministry urged his fellow citizens to leave Russia after intensifying tensions between the two countries. He also advised against travel to Russia stating that Moscow’s “aggression” could lead to a significant reduction in consular services.
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9:59 am The Pope great pain in the heart, alarming scenarios. March 2 is a day of fasting for peace.
«A great pain in the heart for the worsening of the situation in Ukraine. Despite the diplomatic efforts of the last few weeks, increasingly alarming scenarios are opening up ». Thus Pope Francis at the end of the General Audience. “Like me, so many people around the world are experiencing anguish and worry. Once again – the Pontiff underlined – the peace of all is threatened by partisan interests. I would like to appeal to those who have political responsibilities to carry out a serious examination of conscience before God who is the God of peace and not of war ”, the“ Father of all ”who“ wants us to be brothers, not enemies ”.
9:34 am Ukraine: enlistment of reservists between 18 and 60 years old
Ukraine has begun to enlist army reservists. This was announced in a message from the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, after President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the decree, the Tass agency said.
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7.38 – Biden, the summit denied with Putin and arms to the Baltic countries
The position of the United States – after having launched the first sanctions against Russia – has become tougher against Moscow in the past few hours also on two other fronts. The first: Biden’s no to a summit with Putin – for now – made explicit by the White House spokesman, Jen Psaki (“We will never completely close the door of diplomacy, but diplomacy cannot be successful unless Russia do not change direction. “The second: the sending of troops and vehicles to the Baltic countries: the United States will send about 800 soldiers of an infantry battalion, coming from other locations in Europe; 40 attack aircraft to reinforce the defenses of the countries on the NATO’s eastern flank; a contingent of F-35 assault fighters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters. Biden described the move as purely “defensive”, and said: “We have no intention of fighting Russia.” .
7.00 – Putin’s new words: “Non-negotiable rights”
Russian President Vladimir Putin – in a speech broadcast on TV on the occasion of the Day of the Defender of the Fatherland – defined the interests and security of his country as “non-negotiable”, but then apparently opened up to dialogue with Westerners: Russia, she said, she is ready to find “diplomatic solutions” with Kiev and the West on the Ukrainian crisis. «Our country is always open to direct and honest dialogue to find diplomatic solutions to the most complex problems. However, the interests and safety of our citizens are not negotiable ».
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February 23, 2022 (change February 23, 2022 | 17:05)
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