“We know that Ukraine’s financial system and economy have suffered as a result of recent events. We are looking at how we can support the economy, in addition to the serious assistance that we are already providing. Our European allies are doing the same,” Blinken said.
He stressed that the Russian Federation was given a choice: to follow the diplomatic path.
“We have outlined all the consequences that Russia will have to deal with if it takes a different path. In addition, we have an obligation to increase support for the Ukrainian security and economy. Our allies in Europe are united in this opinion. Now Russia needs to decide how to respond. We ready in any case,” the Secretary of State said.
US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan on the evening of January 26 brought to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation a written response from Washington to Moscow’s demands for “security guarantees”. Documents not published.
Spring 2021 Russia build up troops near the border with Ukraine and in the occupied Crimea. At the end of October, the American media began to report that Russia again pulling troops to the border with Ukraine.
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov reported on December 22 that in the zone 200 km from the border of the country there are 122 thousand Russian military.
The United States and NATO have repeatedly urged Russia to de-escalate tensions at the border.
December 17, 2021 against the backdrop of the buildup of Russian troops near the borders of Ukraine Russian Foreign Ministry circulates Russian draft treaty handed over to Washington with the US and agreements with NATO on so-called security guarantees. In particular, they say that the United States must commit itself to exclude further NATO expansion “eastwards” and refuse admission to the Alliance of states that were previously part of the USSR.
10th, 12th and 13th of January negotiations between Russia and the United States, NATO and the OSCE on security. As a result, Russia stated that did not receive any guarantees from the USA and NATO, US representatives said that before the Russian Federation worth the choice: de-escalation and diplomacy or confrontation and consequences.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the issue of Ukraine’s accession to NATO can only be discussed by Ukraine and 30 member countries of the Allianceand emphasized: Russia poses a threat to Ukraine, and not vice versa.
The White House announced on January 18 that Russia can start an invasion at any moment to Ukraine. In particular, the United States is concerned the movement of Russian troops for exercises in Belarus.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on January 24 that Russia has not created a single strike force, which would indicate the preparation of its invasion of Ukraine. According to Danilov, a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine today is impossible.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on January 24, following a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, said that representatives of the National Security and Defense Council are working for a complete de-escalation and peaceful settlement of the situation in Donbas, in Ukraine everything is under control and there is no reason to panic.
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