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Ukraine’s Defense Minister Andrii Taran said Russia was trying to force Kiev to give up negotiations by increasing its military presence at the border. Even so he stressed that Ukraine would not stop fighting.
“Russia’s real aim is to build a military along the Ukrainian border and in the temporary occupied territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, perhaps increasing pressure on Ukraine for the purpose of forcing it to give up in the negotiation process,” Taran said in a statement.
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“The fires of hostility kindled by Russia are only to be tamed by political and diplomatic means. Ukraine initially intended for a civilized way of restoring temporarily occupied territories. However, there should be no compromise in defending Ukraine’s interests,” he was quoted as saying. The Hill, Sunday (11/4/2021).
The remarks marked the latest spike in escalating tensions between Kiev and Moscow.
Later in his statement, Taran called on Western countries to reject Russia’s latest threat, acknowledging that Ukraine itself would be too weak to fight the country’s aggression.
“The Russian Federation must understand that any aggression and active escalation in terms of the security environment will lead to a clear and strong response from the international community. The most convincing and effective mechanism for presenting a firm, sustainable and uncompromising position from the international community to Moscow officials, in particular. European and Euro-Atlantic countries support Ukraine, “said Taran.
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