The West has been insisting for months that Russia is preparing an invasion of Ukraine, Moscow persistently denies this. The Kremlin announces that it is withdrawing part of its troops, the West denies this and claims that more and more Russian soldiers are ready to go to Ukraine. Russia warns that the Ukrainian forces could try to provoke the Russians in Donetsk and Luhansk, who have declared republics, in order not to provoke conflicts, Western politicians put the appearance of a Russian attack "under a false flag" on their compatriots, which they would use as an excuse to start an invasion. Both sides accuse each other of media war and unscrupulous propaganda. During that time, there is more and more shooting in the east of Ukraine, war is really in the air
"Everything points to the fact that Russia is planning a complete attack on Ukraine," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said during the Munich Security Conference for the German public broadcaster ARD. He claims that Russia is not withdrawing part of its troops stationed along the borders with Ukraine, as he claims, but that, on the contrary, new Russian troops are arriving. According to the estimates of the United States of America, 150.000 Russian soldiers are now tactically deployed within the range of Ukraine.
Stoltenberg emphasized that, despite the escalation, NATO is committed to peaceful solutions and wants to convince Russia to change its course and return to negotiations.
As for Russia's ultimate request to ban Ukraine's membership in NATO, Stoltenberg said that it is not impossible, but that all 30 allies are asking about it. At the moment, it's less about Ukraine's membership in NATO, says Stoltenberg, and more about "whether we will accept that a great power like Russia tries to dictate to another country what is allowed and what is not allowed" and that " by force".
Severe sanctions in case of attack
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken "cannot understand the motives" of Vladimir Putin. In an interview with "Ziddeutsche Zeitung", he said that everything Putin allegedly wanted to prevent, he himself only accelerated: that the majority of Ukrainians turn away from Russia and support Ukraine's membership in NATO and that NATO strengthen its eastern wing. Blinken urgently advised Moscow to abandon the invasion of Ukraine, as it would incur "many heavy sanctions".
Photo: AP PhotoWill they or won't they go to Ukraine: Russian military exercise / Photo: AP Photo
And Blinken, like Stoltenberg, left room for negotiations. He said that he will meet with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Europe on Wednesday - if Russia does not start a war by then. The US Secretary of State also said that he assumes that Putnin has already made the decision to start the war, that everything they see indicates that the invasion has not yet begun.
Despite everything, Blinken says, Washington is ready to continue its diplomatic efforts until "Russian tanks really roll into Ukraine" and Russian planes fly over it. In order not to prevent war, President Joe Biden is ready to talk to Putin at any time, regardless of the format.
Antony Blinken, Sergey LavrovIf the war does not start by then, negotiations will continue on Wednesday: Anthony Blinken and Sergey Lavrov / Photo: AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool, File)
False flag attack
The Prime Minister of Great Britain, Boris Johnson, as part of the Munich Security Conference, joined in the most dramatic possible way in announcing the Russian offensive, which, according to him, would cause "the biggest war since 1945 in Europe", judging by the preparation of Russian troops.
In the event of a Russian attack on Ukraine, Johnson announced the harshest possible sanctions not only against Putin and his entourage, but against all Russian companies whose access to the dollar and pound market would be blocked.
Johnson also said that everything indicates that the implementation of Putin's plan has already begun. Johnson, and not only him, warned in recent days about "Russian attacks under a false flag", i.e. that the Russians could stage actions that they would attribute to Ukrainian forces in order to have an excuse and a reason to launch an invasion.
AI/ARD/ZDF/BBC/Süddeutsche Zeitung
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