British officials alleged that Russia aims to install a pro-Moscow government in Ukraine, saying former Ukrainian lawmaker Yevheniy Murayev is a potential candidate.
Currently, Murayev is the small pro-Russian party Nashi leader, which does not have any seats in Ukraine’s parliament.
The British Foreign Office has named another group of Ukrainian politicians linked with Russian intelligence services.
What Russia might use for installing a friendly government in Kyiv is unclear to Britain.
Claimed a war of words between Moscow and the West over Russia’s plans for Ukraine based on an intelligence assessment without any evidence to back up the claim.
As Foreign Secretary Liz Truss noted, the information sheds light on Russian subversion efforts and provides insights into the Kremlin mindset.
Trump urged Russia to “deescalate, end its campaign of aggression, and pursue an approach based on diplomacy” and reaffirmed Britain’s view that “any Russian military incursion into Ukraine will have severe repercussions.
The British military has sent anti-tank weapons to bolster Ukraine’s defenses against a potential Russian attack.
IN MOSCOW, the U.K. defense secretary, Ben Wallace, is expected to speak with the Russian defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, amid diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis. However, there has been no confirmation of the timing of the meeting, which would mark the first bilateral defense talks between the U.K. and Russia since 2013.
Recent U.S. measures have released a clear signal that the U.S. is united with its European allies in the fight against a new Russian invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. calls the U.K. government assessment “deeply concerning” and says it stands behind the duly elected Ukrainian government.
As President Biden huddled with his senior national security team about the Ukraine situation during his time at Camp David outside of Washington, his assessment came as President Biden spent Saturday in the retreat. Officials in the White House said diplomats and deterrence measures are closely coordinated with partners and allies to deescalate the situation, including military assistance to Ukraine.
Another development involves plans for U.S.-made anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles sent to Ukraine by Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania amid escalating tensions between Kyiv and Russia.
Defense ministers of the three Baltic states issued a joint statement vowing to “stand united in defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
According to Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, Western arms shipments to Ukraine are exceedingly dangerous and “do nothing to reduce tensions.”
Russian troops have massed near the Ukraine-Russia border, causing fear of an invasion. NATO has failed to meet Moscow’s main demands – that Ukraine will not become a member, not put weapons near Russian borders, and withdraw its forces from central and eastern Europe.
Blinken’s meeting with Lavrov did not yield results on Friday. The U.S. State Department is considering reducing the diplomatic presence in Kyiv as a security measure amid an uncertain security situation.
In their statement, Latvia and Lithuania confirmed that they would provide Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and other related equipment to bolster Kyiv’s defenses. Estonia will provide Javelin anti-tank weapons, while Latvia and Lithuania will send Javelin anti-tank weapons. No timeline was immediately available regarding when would send the equipment and weapons to Ukraine.
“As a result, Ukraine is on the frontline in breaking the militarization of Europe with Russia. The war in Ukraine continues, and it is vital to offer Ukraine all the support it can get to be able to resist the aggressor,” Georgia Defense Minister Kalle Laanet told the BBC.
Ukraine also seeks the approval of Germany for sending Soviet-made howitzers, which used to belong to East Germany. Finland, which purchased them from Germany’s surplus supply in the 1990s, acquired the howitzers from non-NATO member Estonia.
Estonia has requested that the German government pass the howitzers on to Ukraine. The German government has given no time frame for its decision. Berlin says it plans to coordinate the issue with Finland, which also has received a request for approval from Estonia.
German-sold weapons are routinely exported to third countries with Berlin’s input. Recent media reports suggested that Germany’s Cabinet might block Estonia from transferring weapons to Kiev, illustrating the West’s response to the Ukraine crisis.
On Saturday, Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Germany of not supporting Ukraine.
Recently, a video circulated caused the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to summon the German ambassador on Saturday. German navy chief Alexander Haider said he would not return the Crimean Peninsula to Ukraine after Russia annexed it in 2014. Haider said Russian President Vladimir Putin deserved “respect.”
A swift rebuke and consternation followed back in Berlin after Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schoenbach’s remarks. The German Navy chief submitted his resignation late Saturday, stating that he wanted to avoid further consequences from his “ill-considered statements” in India.
In light of the recent Coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. State Department advises citizens not to travel to Ukraine. Still, it also urges them to reconsider travel there due to possible Russian aggression.
U.S. Embassy in Ukraine’s announcement on Tuesday that it would hold a virtual town hall meeting about the security situation with U.S. citizens in Ukraine has caused speculation about a statement about U.S. diplomatic presence in Ukraine.
Officials say his security team reviewed contingency plans when he visited Kyiv on Wednesday. Discussions on the matter have gone on for some time, but Blinken visited the embassy on Wednesday to discuss the issue.
A complete evacuation was not considered and had to make no decision yet. However, one possible scenario would be to order American personnel’s spouses and children to leave the country, permitting non-essential staff to go at government expense.