Category Archives: Nato

‘Putin chose this war,’ Biden says as he announces new sanctions – US politics as it happened

Posted on by

Some congressional Republicans have attempted to blame Joe Biden’s foreign policy for enabling Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

“These developments were not inevitable,” congressman Andy Barr said. “The Biden Administration’s weak and feckless foreign policy not only failed to deter this aggression, it invited this outcome.”

Continue reading...

‘Peace on our continent has been shattered’: Nato chief on the Russian invasion of Ukraine – video

Posted on by

Nato has increased its troop presence on its eastern boundary in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has said.

'This is a deliberate, cold-blooded and long-planned invasion,’ Stoltenberg said. 'Russia's unjustified, unprovoked attack on Ukraine is putting countless innocent lives at risk with air and missile attacks.'

He said Nato had activated its defence plans, allowing freer movement of troops, but would respond in a defensive rather than combative manner

Continue reading...

UK will ‘barrage’ Russia with sanctions, warns Boris Johnson – video

Posted on by

Boris Johnson has claimed Russia is bent on a 'full-scale invasion of Ukraine' and said the UK would immediately impose economic sanctions.

Speaking after a 6.30am Cobra meeting, the prime minister said the UK was prepared to continue ratcheting up measures

Continue reading...

Ukraine crisis: Putin and Macron agree to try to secure ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and urgent summit

Posted on by

Leaders spoke on the phone for 105 minutes and outcome suggests Russia might be willing to step back from brink of invasion of Ukraine

Russian media has confirmed the deaths of two Ukrainian soldiers in the government-held part of Donetsk on Saturday, claiming the servicemen were part of a “sabotage group” planning “terrorist attacks” against gas pipelines and electrical substations in the region.

The claim comes as western leaders continue to accuse Moscow and Russian-backed rebels of spreading misinformation as pretext for a possible invasion.

Continue reading...

Ukraine crisis: Biden ‘convinced’ Russia plans invasion but diplomacy still possible – live

Posted on by

Russian state media say a blast has occurred in Donetsk amid multiple US warnings of false flag incidents

Sam Jones here, taking over from Samantha Lock.

One of today’s main events will be the Munich security conference, where world leaders including US vice-president Kamala Harris, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, will gather to discuss the crisis.

It’s tragic and we’ll see terrible scenes unfolding. You would expect that President Putin – who obviously can’t be taken at his word – is manufacturing some sort of trigger, or is in the process of executing the final stages of his plan to go into Ukraine.

(Via Australian Associated Press)

Continue reading...

Ukraine: Russian military buildup shows ‘no signs of slowing’, says Truss – video

Posted on by

The UK foreign secretary, Liz Truss, has said there are no signs that Russia's military buildup on the Ukraine border is slowing down.

Speaking in Kyiv, Truss said the UK stood 'shoulder to shoulder' with Ukraine in the face of the threat

Russia and Ukraine crisis latest news: live updates as US warns of Russian invasion

Continue reading...

Ukraine crisis: Nato fears Russia trying to stage pretext for attack after reports of multiple shelling incidents – live

Posted on by

‘No certainty about Russia’s intentions’, warns Nato, after Ukraine government source says shelling ‘looks like provocation’

Some more detail has emerged regarding the denial from Ukrainian government forces over accusations of having targeted separatist positions in the country’s east. Ukraine says its troops were fired upon but did not retaliate.

A duty press officer of the Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation told Reuters by telephone:

Despite the fact that our positions were fired on with prohibited weapons, including 122mm artillery, Ukrainian troops did not open fire in response.

Continue reading...

‘It’s not too late’: Nato defence leaders call on Russia to continue diplomatic efforts – video

Posted on by

Nato secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, has said he sees no signs of de-escalation on the ground from Russia's military, while urging Russia to 'step back from the brink of war'. He also reiterated that Nato action was defensive and 'not a threat to Russia'.

Nato defence ministers are in Brussels for two days to discuss Russia military build-up on the Ukrainian border 

Continue reading...

Russia-Ukraine crisis a ‘dangerous moment for the world’, warns Truss

Posted on by

UK foreign secretary says invasion by Putin could embolden Iran and China to expand their ambitions

The UK foreign secretary, Liz Truss, has warned of a “dangerous moment for the world” as the “highly likely” prospect of a Russian invasion of Ukraine could embolden other countries such as Iran and China to expand their ambitions.

Speaking on Sky News, Truss said “we could be on the brink of a war in Europe, which would have severe consequences not just for the people of Russian and Ukraine but for the broader security in Europe”, adding she was “very worried”.

Continue reading...

Russia sending thousands more troops to Ukraine border

Posted on by

Move suggests Putin could extend crisis for weeks as Johnson and Biden agree ‘crucial window for diplomacy’ still exists

Russia is sending thousands more troops to its border with Ukraine in a sign that Vladimir Putin could extend the crisis for weeks, as Boris Johnson warned the situation had become “very, very dangerous”.

British officials estimate that a further 14 Russian battalions are heading towards Ukraine, each numbering about 800 troops, on top of the 100 battalions massed on the borders – a force already believed capable of launching an invasion.

Continue reading...

Zelenskiy confirms Ukraine’s desire to join Nato – video

Posted on by

Ukraine's president has quashed suggestions by the country’s ambassador to Britain that it could drop its bid to join Nato to avoid war with Russia. Speaking at a press conference, Volodymyr Zelenskiy said: 'We would like Nato membership. It would ensure our security, our territorial sovereignty'

Continue reading...

Putin continues to rattle sabre but with rare nod towards de-escalation

Posted on by

Analysis: it is still unclear how far Russian president is willing to go to achieve his Ukraine goals

Almost a year ago, Russia began moving forces from Siberia and other regions to the border with Ukraine. With more than half of its land forces now poised for an attack, whether or not there will be a war with Ukraine hinges on the decision of Vladimir Putin, whose options range from a large-scale assault to a decision to hold his troops back or ultimately send them home.

At stake is a potentially devastating conflict, sanctions and economic hardship, and a verdict on the legacy of Putin, who has broadcast his decision to engage in brinksmanship with the west, saying that the tensions have a “definite effect” and should be maintained “as long as possible”.

Continue reading...

US warns of ‘distinct possibility’ Russia will invade Ukraine within days

Posted on by
  • Joe Biden due to speak with Putin by phone on Saturday
  • Officials tell Americans to leave Ukraine in next 48 hours

The US has warned of the “very distinct possibility” of a Russian invasion of Ukraine in the next few days, potentially involving an overwhelming attack on Kyiv, and told all remaining Americans to leave the country in the next 48 hours.

Joe Biden is due to speak to Vladimir Putin by phone on Saturday. Diplomatic sources said that Biden had told allied leaders in a call that Vladimir Putin had taken a decision to go ahead with an invasion, but Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, said: “We have not seen anything come to us that says a final decision has been taken, [that] the go order has been given.”

Continue reading...

‘Most dangerous moment’ in Ukraine crisis, says Johnson meeting with Nato chief – video

Posted on by

Boris Johnson has said the Ukraine crisis has entered 'the most dangerous moment' on a visit to Nato’s headquarters as Russia continues its military buildup on the borders of its southern neighbour.

Military analysts estimate Moscow has massed more than 135,000 troops on the borders of Ukraine, both in Russia and in Belarus – and some now believe nearly all the necessary elements are in place if Putin wanted to attack.

Nato's secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said a political solution was still possible but warned Russia would 'pay a high price' if it chose confrontation

Continue reading...

Most Europeans want to stand with Kyiv against Moscow, poll suggests

Posted on by

More than 60% of people surveyed believe Nato should come to Ukraine’s defence if Russia invades

Majorities across Europe think Russia will invade Ukraine in 2022 and believe both Nato and the EU should stand by Kyiv, according to a study whose authors suggest the crisis could end up dramatically changing the way Europeans view their security.

“The data suggests something of a geopolitical awakening in Europe,” said Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), which carried out the polling in seven countries, accounting for two-thirds of the EU’s population.

Continue reading...

Emmanuel Macron’s remarks on Russia set alarm bells ringing

Posted on by

Analysis: French president’s comments after Ukraine talks with Vladimir Putin should concern Nato alliance

Domestic critics of Emmanuel Macron, Nato hardliners and the leadership in Ukraine will be suspiciously examining the French president’s late-night remarks at his Moscow press conference on Monday for signs of freelancing.

At one level, Macron, three months from a re-election campaign, stuck pretty faithfully to the script he had exhaustively agreed with his Nato partners before his meeting with Vladimir Putin, but at another level his particular view of Russia as a European nation, and lofty talk of a new security guarantees, will have set alarm bells ringing.

Continue reading...

Russia has enough troops ready to take Kyiv, says former Ukraine defence chief

Posted on by

White House believes Moscow has amassed at least 70% of firepower needed for mid-February invasion

Russia has enough troops in place to seize Kyiv or another Ukrainian city but not yet for a full takeover and occupation of the country, Ukraine’s former defence minister has said, as Washington warned that an invasion could take place at any time.

Andriy Zagorodnyuk said in an interview with the Guardian that the situation looked “pretty dire”. “Russia could now seize any city in Ukraine. But we still don’t see the 200,000 troops needed for a full-scale invasion,” he said.

Continue reading...

Biden rattles his sabre at Putin … but it’s Xi he really wants to scare

Posted on by

Tub-thumping talk of all-out war in Ukraine seems overblown but the White House knows the fledgling Sino-Russian axis is a real threat, in Taiwan and elsewhere

If, as seems increasingly probable, Russia decides not to launch an all-out invasion of Ukraine, tub-thumping US and British politicians who have spent weeks scaring the public with loose talk of looming Armageddon will have some explaining to do.

The military build-up directed by Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, is real enough. But suspicion grows that the actual as opposed to the hypothetical threat of a large-scale conventional attack is being mis-read, misinterpreted, over-estimated or deliberately exaggerated.

Continue reading...

Kyiv urges Russia to pull troops back from Ukraine border

Posted on by

Call comes after Nato stresses need for EU countries to reduce dependence on Russian natural gas

Kyiv has urged Moscow to pull back its troops from Ukraine’s border and continue dialogue with the west if it is “serious” about de-escalating tensions that have soared amid fears of a Russian invasion.

“If Russian officials are serious when they say they don’t want a new war, Russia must continue diplomatic engagement and pull back military forces it amassed along Ukraine’s borders and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine,” Kyiv’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, tweeted on Sunday.

Continue reading...

US to heighten troop presence in eastern Europe, says Biden

Posted on by

The Pentagon has already placed 8,500 troops on stand-by in response to Russia’s build-up near Ukraine’s border

Joe Biden said on Friday that he will be moving US troops to eastern European and Nato countries “in the near term” as tensions rise over Russia’s military buildup on the borders of Ukraine.

The Pentagon has already placed about 8,500 US troops on stand-by for possible deployment to Europe amid Russia’s military build-up near Ukraine’s border.

Continue reading...