Putin Russia Ukraine

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with President Vladimir Putin of Russia about Russia's escalating military buildup on the borders of Ukraine.

President Biden was clear with President Putin that while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our Allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with President Vladimir Putin of Russia about Russia’s escalating military buildup on the borders of Ukraine. President Biden was clear that, if Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the United States together with our Allies and partners will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia. President Biden reiterated that a further Russian invasion of Ukraine would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russia’s standing.

US president fears 'great suffering' in the event of an invasion as Russia denies there are any plans for an attack.

Tobias Ellwood, the Conservative chair of the defence select committee, described the tensions as “our Cuban missile crisis moment” and called for British-led Nato divisions to be deployed to the country. Dominic Cummings, the PM’s former chief adviser and now his fiercest critic, condemned Tory MPs for allowing Johnson to continue in office “while another major global crisis unfolds”. Ukrainian forces began 10 days of training on Thursday, to coincide with Russian exercises in Belarus that have been seen as a key part of Russia’s threatening buildup. However, Tom Tugendhat, the Tory chair of the foreign affairs select committee, said that providing training assistance was more useful to Ukraine than the deployment of British troops. This may be interpreted as a clause which formally authorises the Russian state to use force in Ukraine.” He said the country’s own troops were “increasingly capable to defend themselves”. The first duty of any government is to keep its people safe. The government must act now to ensure it is prepared to provide safety for British citizens in case of any incursion.” It brought “no fundamental change” to the worsening crisis, according to a senior US official briefing reporters afterwards. Several governments yesterday urged their citizens to leave Ukraine as soon as possible. “I think there’s too much out there about a full-scale war from Russia, and people are even naming dates. “Hysteria has reached its peak,” Ushakov said.

The massive military buildup could be a bluff, or a political ploy designed for a Russian audience. Either way, the US is digging in.

To end the standoff (maybe), Putin wants Nato to promise never to accept Ukraine (or Georgia and Moldova) as members. He objects to its growing closeness to Nato. He also opposes Kyiv’s developing links with the EU. Worse still, from his point of view, Ukraine is a democracy, with free speech and free media, which freely elects its leaders. Putin may also hope to demonstrate to the west (and Russians) that the country is still a superpower, even though by most measures (nuclear weapon stockpiles and geography apart) it is a failing medium-sized power. That was when he annexed Crimea and took de facto control of the eastern Donbas region. Putin is said to want to rebuild a Russian sphere of influence in eastern Europe, principally embracing former Soviet republics such as now independent Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Georgia and Ukraine. He has frequently bemoaned their “loss” after the Soviet Union collapsed. So, too, did Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, when he met the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, last week, and when he spoke to US president Joe Biden on the phone.

President Joe Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that the US and its allies will respond "decisively and impose swift and severe costs" on Russia ...

According to Ushakov, Biden told Putin he was "committed to the diplomatic path and had laid out a range of considerations that he sees as addressing many of Russia's concerns." The stakes of this are too high not to give Russia every chance to avoid an action that we believe would be catastrophic. The first face-to-face meeting between Putin and Biden as heads of state took place in Geneva in June 2021. "We obviously cannot predict the future, we don't know exactly what is going to happen. "But you know, we are not basing our assessment of this on what the Russians say publicly," the official continued. "The two Presidents agreed that our teams will stay engaged in the days ahead," the official told reporters after the call.

Ukraine news from February 11: US president tells Russian leader an invasion would 'produce widespread human suffering'.

“Right now, the people’s biggest enemy is panic in our country. “The EU and its member states are coordinating their actions in view of the current threats on Ukraine. Our diplomatic missions are not closing. RIA said more than 30 Russian ships have left the ports of Sevastopol and Novorossiisk “in accordance to the plans of the drills” near Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. The call started at 16:04 GMT. Butler said the residents of the city know that the situation is “extremely tense” and that there is a sense that it could be “a lot more critical than before”. “The armed force of Ukraine are constantly monitoring the situation and are ready to rebuff any encroachment on its territorial integrity and sovereignty.” “At the moment, it is critically important to remain calm, to consolidate inside the country, to avoid destabilising actions and those that sow panic,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. The statements in Washington show the US has intensified its “propaganda campaign against our country”, and wants to create the impression that aggression is “inevitable”, he added. Ukrainians marched through the centre of Kyiv in a column, chanting “Glory to Ukraine” and carrying Ukrainian flags and banners that said “Ukrainians will resist” and “Invaders must die”. More than 1,000 law enforcement officers took part in the drills that aim to prepare for the “timely and effective response to situational destabilising factors”, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement. They remain in Kyiv and continue to operate in support to EU citizens and in cooperation with the Ukrainian authorities,” Josep Borrell said in a statement. In a video call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Joe Biden made clear that if Russia invades Ukraine, Washington and its allies would respond “decisively and impose swift and severe costs”, according to the White House.

Diplomatic efforts to avert a Russian invasion of Ukraine failed to ease tensions over the weekend, as the Biden administration warned that a Russian attack ...

The weapons: Ukraine is making use of weapons such as Javelin antitank missiles and Switchblade “kamikaze” drones, provided by the United States and other allies. The United States, Germany, Britain, Latvia, Norway, the Netherlands, Israel, South Korea and Japan and others in recent days have reduced their personnel and urged citizens to get out of Ukraine as soon as possible. “There are some nuances I would have done different than the Biden administration, but I think now’s the time to stand unified.” The last independent newsletter in Russia suspended its operations. A Belarusian opposition group accused Russia of using only some of its troops in the drills. Military analysts have warned that the exercise could be used as cover for an invasion. On Saturday, Canada said it will relocate its staff from Kyiv to Lviv, about 60 miles from the Polish border. Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba meanwhile said Sundaythat the “situation remains under control” and that Ukraine was “prepared for any scenario.” “We have not been sitting with our arms folded for the last months, we have prepared for all scenarios — absolutely all — and as of now we are ready for them,” he said in a video released by the foreign ministry. That buildup “and the movement of Russian forces of all varieties closer to the border” has put Russia “in a position where they could launch a military action very, very rapidly,” he said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” adding that it was still impossible to predict what would happen. Biden, in an hour-long call with the Russian president Saturday, said the United States and its allies would “respond decisively” to a Russian invasion of Ukraine, which U.S. officials have said will probably start with a barrage of air or missile strikes. “The two leaders agreed on the importance of continuing to pursue diplomacy and deterrence in response to Russia’s military buildup on Ukraine’s borders,” the White House said in a short statement following the 51-minute call between Biden and Zelensky. Diplomatic efforts to avert a Russian invasion of Ukraine failed to ease tensions over the weekend, as the Biden administration warned that a Russian attack could happen at any moment and promised to respond to any aggression “swiftly and decisively.”