Ukraine seeks meeting with Russia within 48 hours to discuss build-up

 

Ukraine has called for a meeting with Russia and other members of a key European security group over the escalating tensions on its border.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia had ignored formal requests to explain the build-up of troops.

He said the next step was requesting a meeting within the next 48 hours for transparency about Russia’s plans.

Russia has denied any plans to invade Ukraine despite the build-up of some 100,000 soldiers on Ukraine’s borders.

But with the US saying Moscow could begin with aerial bombardments “at any time” more than a dozen nations have urged their citizens to leave Ukraine.

Ukraine’s ambassador in London, Vadym Prystaiko, has backtracked on comments he made to the BBC in which he said Ukraine was willing to be “flexible” on its ambition to join Nato, which would have been be a major concession to Russia.

But in a subsequent interview he said that Ukraine had a constitutional commitment to join Nato and it depended on the “readiness of Nato itself” whether Ukraine would be admitted.

British Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said the UK would support whatever Ukraine decided to do.

Ukraine has made a request via the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) for Russia to explain its build-up of troops. Under the Vienna Document, of which Russia is party to, OSCE members can ask for information on a member’s military activities.

“If Russia is serious when it talks about the indivisibility of security in the OSCE space, it must fulfil its commitment to military transparency in order to de-escalate tensions and enhance security for all,” Mr Kuleba said.

However, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, who criticized the “panic” that could spread from such claims, said he had seen no proof that Russia was planning an invasion in the coming days.

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