Tag: Ukraine

  • UEFA Strips Russia Of Hosting Right, Move Champions League Final to France

    UEFA Strips Russia Of Hosting Right, Move Champions League Final to France

    UEFA has moved this year’s Champions League final to France after it withdrew the right from Russia for invading Ukraine.

    Originally billed to hold at St. Petersburg stadium, it will not hold at the Stade de France, UEFA announced on Friday.

    The decision was reached after an extraordinary meeting held by the Executive Committee resulting from the escalation of the security situation caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    Among the decisions taken was the change of venues for national team and clubs football engagements for both countries. World Cup qualifying matches will now be played at neutral venues until further notice.

    A statement to this effect on UEFA’s website reads, “The UEFA Executive Committee today held an extraordinary meeting following the grave escalation of the security situation in Europe.

    “The UEFA Executive Committee decided to relocate the final of the 2021/22 UEFA Men’s Champions League from Saint Petersburg to Stade de France in Saint-Denis. The game will be played as initially scheduled on Saturday 28 May at 21:00 CET.

    “UEFA wishes to express its thanks and appreciation to French Republic President Emmanuel Macron for his personal support and commitment to have European club football’s most prestigious game moved to France at a time of unparalleled crisis. Together with the French government, UEFA will fully support multi-stakeholder efforts to ensure the provision of rescue for football players and their families in Ukraine who face dire human suffering, destruction and displacement.

    “At today’s meeting, the UEFA Executive Committee also decided that Russian and Ukrainian clubs and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.

    “The UEFA Executive Committee further determined to remain on standby to convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis where required, to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary.”

  • Zelensky Accuses Russian Forces Of Targeting Ukraine Civilians

    Zelensky Accuses Russian Forces Of Targeting Ukraine Civilians

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that invading Russian forces are targeting civilian areas, praising his countrymen for their “heroism” and assuring Kyiv is doing “everything possible” to protect them.

    He spoke as Moscow’s forces reached the capital, with explosions heard in the city that the government described as “horrific rocket strikes.”

    “They say that civilian objects are not a target for them. But this is another lie of theirs. In reality, they do not distinguish between areas in which they operate,” Zelensky said in a video.

    “Ukrainian air defence systems are defending our skies,” he said. “Ukrainians are demonstrating heroism”.

    “All our forces are doing everything possible” to protect people, he added.

    The Ukrainian leader called on people to show “solidarity” and help the elderly find shelter and “access to real information.”

    Zelensky also said that Russia will have to eventually talk to Kyiv to end their war.

    “Russia will have to talk to us sooner or later. Talk about how to end the fighting and stop this invasion. The sooner the conversation begins, the less losses there will be for Russia itself,” he said.

    Switching into Russian in his address, Zelensky acknowledged Russian street protests against Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine that ended with mass arrests Thursday.

    “To the citizens of the Russian Federation that are coming out to protest, we see you. And this means that you have heard us. This means that you believe us. Fight for us. Fight against war.”

    Russian police detained more than 1,700 people at anti-war protests across dozens of cities Thursday night.

    Moscow was asleep when Putin ordered an air and ground assault on Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday.

  • Ukraine ‘Left Alone’ To Fight Russia, Says President Zelensky

    Ukraine ‘Left Alone’ To Fight Russia, Says President Zelensky

    Ukraine’s president said Friday his country had been left on its own to fight Russia after the Kremlin launched a large-scale invasion that killed 130 Ukrainians on the first day.

    “We have been left alone to defend our state,” Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address to the nation after midnight.

    “Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don’t see anyone. Who is ready to give Ukraine a guarantee of NATO membership? Everyone is afraid,” he added.

    Zelensky said that 137 Ukrainians, both military personnel and civilians, had been killed since the start of the attack early Thursday.

    Another 316 had been wounded, he said.

    Zelensky also said that Russian “sabotage groups” had entered the capital Kyiv, and urged the city’s citizens to remain vigilant and observe a curfew.

    The president added that he and his family remained in Ukraine, despite Russia identifying him as “target number one”.

    “They want to destroy Ukraine politically by taking down the head of state,” Zelensky said.

  • Ukraine: Putin’s Barbaric Venture Must End In Failure – Boris Johnson

    Ukraine: Putin’s Barbaric Venture Must End In Failure – Boris Johnson

    UK Prime minister, Boris Johnson, has condemned Vladimir Putin’s full pronged invasion of Ukraine, which he described as a “hideous” and “barbaric” venture.

    In a televised address to the British citizens, PM Johnson stated that Putin’s actions should not be allowed to ‘snuff out’ freedom being enjoyed in Ukraine with an act of ‘wanton and reckless aggression.

    While condemning Putin’s action as unleashing war on the continent, Johnson sent out a hard message to the West to lend their might to lead to the eventual ‘failure’ of Russia’s incursion ‘diplomatically, politically, economically, and eventually, militarily’

    ‘Our mission is clear. Diplomatically, politically, economically, and eventually, militarily, this hideous and barbaric venture of Vladimir Putin must end in failure,’ he said.

    “We cannot and will not just look away,” Johnson said in a televised address to the nation, after phoning Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky just after 4:00 am (0400 GMT) as Russian forces moved in.

    Ukraine can be assured of continued UK support given that “our worst fears have now come true and all our warnings have proved tragically accurate”, the prime minister said.

    Ahead of an emergency virtual meeting of G7 leaders, Johnson said the West “will agree to a massive package of economic sanctions designed in time to hobble the Russian economy”.

    Similarly, Johnson’s Foreign Office minister James Cleverly suggested that Russian military commanders should stage a coup to stop Mr Putin’s ‘catastrophically bad judgement call’.

    He also took swipes at Putin’s mental state after a series of rambling speeches littered with Soviet-era rhetoric, he said the president seemed to be acting ‘increasingly in isolation’ and ‘illogically’.

    – ‘Unprecedented’ sanctions –
    UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who spoke to her US counterpart Antony Blinken Wednesday evening before Putin announced the start of military operations, joined Johnson in condemning the attack.

    The foreign ministry has deployed teams to five countries in eastern Europe to support Britons leaving Ukraine, she noted.

    Meanwhile, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he had instructed the UK Civil Aviation Authority to ensure airlines avoid Ukraine airspace “to keep passengers and crew safe”.

    The UK slapped sanctions Tuesday on five Russian banks and three billionaires, in what Johnson called “the first barrage” of measures in response to the Kremlin’s actions in Ukraine.

    Leading members of Johnson’s ruling Conservatives, as well as the main opposition Labour party, have urged him to hit the Kremlin as hard as possible with the new sanctions.

    Foreign office minister James Cleverly vowed London would respond with “unprecedented” steps “to punish this aggression”.

    “Those sanctions will be laid today and over forthcoming days to really prevent Russia from funding this invasion,” he told the BBC.

    “The sanctions package that will be put in response to this is already actually having an effect,” Cleverly added, noting record falls Thursday on the Russian stock market and a slump in the ruble’s value.

  • FG Plans Special Flights To Evacuate Nigerians From Ukraine

    FG Plans Special Flights To Evacuate Nigerians From Ukraine

    The Federal Government is planning a special flight operation to evacuate Nigerians from Ukraine amid the escalating crisis in the country.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced this in Abuja on Thursday.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced a military operation in Ukraine on Thursday with explosions heard soon after across the country and its foreign minister warning a “full-scale invasion” was underway.

    Weeks of intense diplomacy and the imposition of Western sanctions on Russia failed to deter Putin, who had massed between 150,000 and 200,000 troops along the borders of Ukraine.

    “The Federal Government of Nigeria has received with surprise, reports of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia,” a statement signed by Ministry spokesperson Francisca Omayuli said.

    “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been reassured by the Nigerian Embassy in Ukraine of the safety of Nigerians in that country and measures being undertaken to keep them safe and facilitate the evacuation of those who wish to leave.

    “The Federal Government wishes to assure the families with loved ones in Ukraine that as soon as the airports in the country are opened, it would assist in facilitating the evacuation of Nigerians who are willing to leave.

    “In the meantime, the Nigerian Mission has confirmed that military action by the Russians has been confined to military installations.”

    Reps speak up
    Earlier, the House of Representatives had called for the immediate evacuation of Nigerians in Ukraine.

    The lawmakers were concerned there are many Nigerian students in Ukraine who could be caught in the crossfire.

    The motion was moved by representative Ahmed Munir during plenary on Thursday.

    But some lawmakers feared that it may be too late as the evacuation should have been done long ago.

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, agreed with a lawmaker, Leke Abejide, to interact with the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema to evacuate Nigerians from Ukraine by Monday, February 28.

    The House Committee on Foreign Affairs was then mandated to liaise with the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

    ‘Remain calm’
    Meanwhile, the Nigerian Embassy in Ukraine on Thursday had asked citizens in the East European country to remain calm and take responsibility for their personal security and safety.

    The warning was contained in an Embassy notice obtained by Channels Television.

    “The Embassy urges Nigerian nationals resident in Ukraine to remain calm but be very vigilant and be responsible for their personal security and safety,” the notice read.

    “The Embassy wishes to add that should any of Nigerian nationals considers the situation as emotionally disturbing, such nationals may wish to temporary relocate to anywhere considered safe by private arrangements. They should, however, ensure that they do all the needful to validate all their resident documents for ease of return to the country when desired.

    “In addition, in case of students seeking such temporary relocation, they are enjoined to seek proper clearance and guarantee from their respective institutions, authorities/agents on the way forward in respect to their studies during this period and/or thereafter.

    “For those who still consider it appropriate to remain in the country, be assured that the embassy remains open for its consular duties and responsibilities at all times. It will always avail you of updates when necessary.”

  • Russia Announces ‘Military Operation’ In Ukraine

    Russia Announces ‘Military Operation’ In Ukraine

    Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine on Thursday with explosions heard soon after across the country and its foreign minister warning a “full-scale invasion” was underway.

    Weeks of intense diplomacy and the imposition of Western sanctions on Russia failed to deter Putin, who had massed between 150,000 and 200,000 troops along the borders of Ukraine.

    “I have made the decision of a military operation,” Putin said in a surprise television announcement that triggered immediate condemnation from US President Joe Biden and sent global financial markets into turmoil.

    Shorly after the announcement, explosions were heard in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and several other cities, according to AFP correspondents.

    Putin called on Ukrainian soldiers to lay down their arms, and justified the operation by claiming the government was overseeing a “genocide” in the east of the country.

    The Kremlin had earlier said rebel leaders in eastern Ukraine had asked Moscow for military help against Kyiv.

    The extent of Thursday’s attacks was not immediately clear, but Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the worst-case scenario was playing out.

    “Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes,” Kuleba tweeted.

    “This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now.”

    Biden immediately warned of “consequences” for Russia and that there would be a “catastrophic loss of life and human suffering”.

    NATO’s chief condemned Russia’s “reckless and unprovoked attack” on Ukraine.

    Putin’s move came after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky made an emotional appeal late on Wednesday night to Russians not to support a “major war in Europe”.

    Speaking Russian, Zelensky said that the people of Russia were being lied to about Ukraine.

    Zelensky said he had tried to call Putin but there was “no answer, only silence”, adding that Moscow now had around 200,000 soldiers near Ukraine’s borders.

    Earlier on Wednesday the separatist leaders of Donetsk and Lugansk sent separate letters to Putin, asking him to “help them repel Ukraine’s aggression”, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

    The two letters were published by Russian state media and were both dated February 22.

    Their appeals came after Putin recognised their independence and signed friendship treaties with them that include defence deals.

    – ‘Moment of peril’ –
    Putin had for weeks defied a barrage of international criticism over the crisis, with some Western leaders saying he was no longer rational.

    His announcement of the military operation came ahead of a last-ditch summit involving European Union leaders in Brussels planned for Thursday.

    The 27-nation bloc had also imposed sanctions on Russia’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu and high-ranking figures including the commanders of Russia’s army, navy and air force, another part of the wave of Western punishment after Putin sought to rewrite Ukraine’s borders.

    The United Nations Security Council met late Wednesday for its second emergency session in three days over the crisis, with a personal plea there by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Putin going unheeded.

    “President Putin, stop your troops from attacking Ukraine, give peace a chance, too many people have already died,” Guterres said.

    The US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, warned that an all-out Russian invasion could displace five million people, triggering a new European refugee crisis.

    Before Putin’s announcement, Ukraine had urged its approximately three million citizens living in Russia to leave.

    “We are united in believing that the future of European security is being decided right now, here in our home, in Ukraine,” President Zelensky said during a joint media appearance with the visiting leaders of Poland and Lithuania.

    Western capitals said Russia had amassed 150,000 troops in combat formations on Ukraine’s borders with Russia, Belarus and Russian-occupied Crimea and on warships in the Black Sea.

    Ukraine has around 200,000 military personnel, and could call up to 250,000 reservists.

    Moscow’s total forces are much larger — around a million active-duty personnel — and have been modernised and re-armed in recent years.

    – High cost of war –
    But Ukraine has received advanced anti-tank weapons and some drones from NATO members. More have been promised as the allies try to deter a Russian attack or at least make it costly.

    Shelling had intensified in recent days between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists — a Ukrainian soldier was killed on Wednesday, the sixth in four days — and civilians living near the front were fearful.

    Dmitry Maksimenko, a 27-year-old coal miner from government-held Krasnogorivka, told AFP that he was shocked when his wife came to tell him that Putin had recognised the two Russian-backed separatist enclaves.

    “She said: ‘Have you heard the news?’. How could I have known? There’s no electricity, never mind internet. I don’t know what is going to happen next, but to be honest, I’m afraid,” he said.

    In a Russian village around 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the border, AFP reporters saw military equipment including rocket launchers, howitzers and fuel tanks mounted on trains stretching for hundreds of metres.

    Russia has long demanded that Ukraine be forbidden from ever joining the NATO alliance and that US troops pull out from Eastern Europe.

    Speaking to journalists, Putin on Tuesday set out a number of stringent conditions if the West wanted to de-escalate the crisis, saying Ukraine should drop its NATO ambition and become neutral.

    Washington Wednesday announced sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which Germany had earlier effectively suspended by halting certification.

    Australia, Britain, Japan and the European Union have all also announced sanctions.

  • Ukraine Vows To Keep Airspace Open Despite Russia Threat

    Ukraine Vows To Keep Airspace Open Despite Russia Threat

    Ukraine on Sunday vowed to keep its airspace open to international travel despite Western warnings that Russian troops conducting drills near its borders could invade at any point.

    The Dutch carrier KLM on Saturday became the first major airline to indefinitely suspend flights to the former Soviet republic because of the rising risks.

    Ukraine’s budget airline SkyUp said on Sunday that its flight from Portugal to Kyiv was forced to land in Moldova because the plane’s Irish leasing company had revoked permission for it to cross into Ukraine.

    SkyUP added that European leasing companies were demanding that Ukrainian airlines return their planes to EU airspace within 48 hours.

    Ukraine’s infrastructure ministry responded by holding an emergency meeting aimed at maintaining foreign travel and keeping the country from becoming more isolated in the heat of the crisis.

    “The airspace over Ukraine remains open and the state is working on preempting risks for airlines,” the ministry said after the meeting.

    Industry analysts believe other international airlines may soon also ban flights into Ukraine because of the growing cost to travel insurers.

    The travel industry is still haunted by the memory of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 being shot down while flying near eastern Ukraine’s conflict zone in July 2014.

    All 298 passengers aboard the Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur flight died.

    Ukraine’s infrastructure ministry acknowledged that “some carriers are facing difficulties linked to fluctuations on the insurance market”.

    “For its part, the state is prepared to support airlines and provide them with additional financial guarantees in order to support the market,” it said.

    – Foreigners fleeing –

    The worries about air travel come with a growing number of Western governments winding down their diplomatic missions in Kyiv and advising citizens to get out of Ukraine as soon as they can.

    The US State Department on Saturday ordered all non-emergency embassy staff out of Ukraine.

    Russia cited fears of “possible provocations from the Kyiv regime” as it also began pulling out some embassy staff.

    The drawdown has touched the staff of the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) monitoring mission in Ukraine.

    The OSCE has served as the world’s eyes and ears for the eight-year conflict across Ukraine’s Russian-backed separatist east that has claimed more than 14,000 lives.

    But images on social media showed convoys of its white SUVs leaving various parts of the conflict zone because of the staff’s need to comply with their respective governments’ travel advisories.

    Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday that the mission’s partial withdrawal caused “serious concern” in Moscow because the move further ramped up tensions.

    The Ukrainian government has been trying to preempt the flood of foreigners leaving the country by calling for calm and criticising US warnings of war breaking out “any day”.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that “all this information is only provoking panic and not helping us”.

    Zelensky’s office stressed on Sunday that “the sky over Ukraine remains open”.

    “The European Union Aviation Safety Agency also has not issued any recommendations to limit flights over Ukrainian airspace,” Zelensky’s deputy chief of staff Kyrylo Tymoshenko wrote on Facebook.

    “Ukraine is ready to support airlines,” he added. “The government will adopt the required measures soon”.

  • Russia can attack Ukraine ‘any day’, US warns

    Russia can attack Ukraine ‘any day’, US warns

    By Isaac Kertyo

    Russian President, Vladimir Putin, is set to speak with his US and French counterparts on Saturday after the United States warned that Moscow could invade Ukraine in days.

    The United States had dramatically raised the alarm over Ukraine on Friday, saying a Russian invasion starting with civilians caught under aerial bombing could begin in days and telling US citizens to leave within 48 hours.

    In a diplomatic flurry to head off a possible invasion, Putin will speak with Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron on Saturday.

    US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said he would also speak to Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, the same day, terming this “a pivotal moment” in the crisis, and that his government was “prepared for whatever should happen”.

    “We continue to see very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving around Ukraine’s borders,” Blinken said at a press conference in Fiji.

    “If Russia is genuinely interested in resolving this crisis of its own making through diplomacy and dialogue, we’re prepared to do that,” he said.

    The White House had earlier warned of an attack by the more than 100, 000 Russian troops currently massed next to Ukraine, even while the Beijing Olympics were still underway.
    Blinken added that dialogue would only be possible if accompanied by “de-escalation”.

    “So far, we’ve only seen escalation from Moscow,” he said, adding that Russia had yet to respond to “some of the ideas” floated by Washington. “I’ll be asking Mr Lavrov if we can anticipate a response in the coming days, to see if we can carry the dialogue forward.”

    Blinken declined to confirm whether the United States would be evacuating its embassy staff from Kyiv: “We’ll have more to say about that in the coming hours,” he said.

    On Friday, White House National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, called on Americans to immediately leave Ukraine, warning a Russian attack “is likely to begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that could obviously kill civilians.”

    While stressing that it was not yet known whether Putin had taken a decision, saying “we can’t predict the exact determination”, Sullivan made clear the United States was bracing for the worst, including a “rapid assault” on the capital, Kyiv.

    Sullivan spoke shortly after President Joe Biden and six European leaders; the heads of NATO, and the European Union, held talks on the worst crisis between the West and Russia since the end of the Cold War.
    A US official said Biden would speak with Putin on Saturday, while Paris said Macron would also be calling the Russian leader on Saturday.

    Underlining the bleak outlook, a string of countries joined the exodus of diplomats and citizens from Ukraine, while oil prices surged and US equities tumbled.

    Sullivan repeated warnings that Russia risked severe Western sanctions, and said that NATO, which Putin wanted to push back from Eastern Europe, was now “more cohesive, more purposeful, more dynamic than any time in recent memory.”
    The Pentagon announced it was sending 3, 000 more troops to bolster ally Poland.

    Following the earlier group phone call between the US and European leaders, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s spokesman said, “The aim is to prevent a war in Europe, but if Moscow fails to pull back, the allies are determined to jointly take swift and deep sanctions against Russia.”

    These sanctions would target the financial and energy sectors, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said.
    Sullivan spoke to der Leyen’s Chief of Staff, Bjoern Seibert, by video call on Friday, to coordinate “the details of a potential transatlantic response, including both financial sanctions and export controls,” according to a White House statement.

    Russian naval forces and troops, including units brought in from all over the vast country, now surround Ukraine to the South, East and North.
    Russia, which denies any plan to attack Ukraine, already controls the Crimea territory seized in 2014, and supports separatist forces controlling Ukraine’s Donbas region in the East.

    The Kremlin says its goal is to get NATO to agree to never give Ukraine membership, and also to withdraw from Eastern European countries already in the alliance, effectively carving Europe into Cold War-style spheres of influence.
    The United States and its European allies reject the demands, insisting that NATO poses no threat to Russia.

    Adding to tensions, large-scale Russian military drills were underway Friday with authoritarian ally Belarus, which lies just North of Kyiv and also borders the European Union.

    Russia’s defence ministry said on Friday it was also holding military exercises near Ukraine’s border in the Black Sea.

    According to the head of Norway’s military intelligence service, Russia is operationally ready to conduct a wide range of military operations in Ukraine, and the Kremlin just needs to make the call.

    Top US General, Mark Milley, and his Russian counterpart, Valery Gerasimov, talked on Friday by phone, the Pentagon said, giving no details of the discussion.

  • ‘Russia Could Invade Ukraine Any Day,’ US Warns

    ‘Russia Could Invade Ukraine Any Day,’ US Warns

    Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to speak with his US and French counterparts on Saturday after the United States warned that Moscow could invade Ukraine in days.

    The United States had dramatically raised the alarm over Ukraine on Friday, saying a Russian invasion starting with civilians caught under aerial bombing could begin in days and telling US citizens to leave within 48 hours.

    In a diplomatic flurry to head off a possible invasion, Putin will speak with Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron on Saturday.

    US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he will also speak to Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov the same day, terming this “a pivotal moment” in the crisis and that his government was “prepared for whatever should happen.”

    “We continue to see very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving around Ukraine’s borders,” Blinken said at a press conference in Fiji.

    “If Russia is genuinely interested in resolving this crisis of its own making through diplomacy and dialogue, we’re prepared to do that,” he said.

    The White House had earlier warned of an attack by the more than 100,000 Russian troops currently massed next to Ukraine, even while the Beijing Olympics were still underway.

    Blinken added that dialogue would only be possible if accompanied by “de-escalation.”

    “So far, we’ve only seen escalation from Moscow,” he said, adding Russia has yet to respond to “some of the ideas” floated by Washington. “I’ll be asking Mr Lavrov if we can anticipate a response in the coming days, to see if we can carry the dialogue forward.”

    Blinken declined to confirm whether the United States would be evacuating its embassy staff from Kyiv: “We’ll have more to say about that in the coming hours,” he said.

    On Friday, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan called on Americans to immediately leave Ukraine, warning a Russian attack “is likely to begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that could obviously kill civilians.”

    While stressing that it was not yet known whether Putin had taken a decision, saying “we can’t predict the exact determination,” Sullivan made clear the United States was bracing for the worst, including a “rapid assault” on the capital Kyiv.

    Sullivan spoke shortly after President Joe Biden and six European leaders, the heads of NATO and the European Union held talks on the worst crisis between the West and Russia since the end of the Cold War.

    A US official said Biden would speak with Putin on Saturday, while Paris said Macron would also be calling the Russian leader on Saturday.

    Underlining the bleak outlook, a string of countries joined the exodus of diplomats and citizens from Ukraine, while oil prices surged and US equities tumbled.

    – Western, NATO unity –
    Sullivan repeated warnings that Russia risks severe Western sanctions and said that NATO, which Putin wants to push back from eastern Europe, is now “more cohesive, more purposeful, more dynamic than any time in recent memory.”

    The Pentagon announced it was sending 3,000 more troops to bolster ally Poland.

    Following the earlier group phone call between US and European leaders, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s spokesman said “the aim is to prevent a war in Europe.” But if Moscow fails to pull back, “the allies are determined to jointly take swift and deep sanctions against Russia.”

    These sanctions would target the financial and energy sectors, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said.

    Sullivan spoke to der Leyen’s chief of staff Bjoern Seibert by video call on Friday to coordinate “the details of a potential transatlantic response, including both financial sanctions and export controls,” according to a White House statement.

    – Russia surrounding Ukraine –
    Russian naval forces and troops, including units brought in from all over the vast country, now surround Ukraine to the south, east and north.

    Russia, which denies any plan to attack Ukraine, already controls the Crimea territory seized in 2014 and supports separatist forces controlling Ukraine’s Donbas region in the east.

    The Kremlin says its goal is to get NATO to agree to never give Ukraine membership and also to withdraw from eastern European countries already in the alliance, effectively carving Europe into Cold War-style spheres of influence.

    The United States and its European allies reject the demands, insisting that NATO poses no threat to Russia.

    Adding to tensions, large-scale Russian military drills were underway Friday with authoritarian ally Belarus, which lies just north of Kyiv and also borders the European Union.

    Russia’s defence ministry said Friday it was also holding military exercises near Ukraine’s border in the Black Sea.

    According to the head of Norway’s military intelligence service, Russia is operationally ready to conduct a wide range of military operations in Ukraine and the Kremlin just needs to make the call.

    Top US general Mark Milley and his Russian counterpart Valery Gerasimov talked Friday by phone, the Pentagon said, giving no details of the discussion.

    AFP

  • UK, US, Other Countries Tell Nationals To Leave Ukraine

    UK, US, Other Countries Tell Nationals To Leave Ukraine

    Britain on Friday urged its nationals in Ukraine to “leave now while commercial means are still available” amid fears about an escalation of the crisis on the Russia/Ukraine border.

    The Foreign Office “now advises against all travel to Ukraine. British nationals in Ukraine should leave now while commercial means are still available”, it said in an update on its website.

    Also on Friday, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan called on Americans to immediately leave Ukraine, warning a Russian attack “is likely to begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that could obviously kill civilians.”

    The United States also updated its travel advisory on Ukraine to a level 4, the highest in its four-tier system, on Thursday. The U.S. Department of State urged Americans not to travel to Ukraine “due to the increased threats of Russian military action and COVID-19.”

    Americans currently in Ukraine were told to leave immediately via private or commercial means.

    The U.S. travel advisory also stated that the U.S. government will be unable to evacuate Americans if Russian military action occurs in Ukraine.

    The White House issued a warning Friday that any U.S. citizens still in Ukraine should leave in the next “24 to 48 hours.”

    Several EU countries have also asked their nationals to leave Ukraine, notably Belgium, Estonia, and Lithuania.

    Belgium on Saturday advised its nationals to leave Ukraine.

    Belgium joins the US and several European countries, who have called on their citizens in Ukraine to leave the country for fear war breaks out.

    “Nationals who are currently in Ukraine and whose presence is not strictly necessary in the country are strongly advised to leave the country,” the Belgian foreign ministry said on its website.

    It said it strongly advised against travel to the country, adding that an evacuation could not be guaranteed.

    The ministry said that in case of a “sudden deterioration, communication links including internet and telephone lines could be seriously affected” and air links hampered.

    The European Union has told non-essential staff from its diplomatic mission in Ukraine to leave the country but has not issued an evacuation order.

    AFP