By announcing the possible deployment of thousands of American soldiers to reinforce the troops of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the President of the United States Joe Biden significantly increased the pressure on Moscow on Monday January 24. In a still very tense context, the European Union, more cautious, called on all parties to avoid alarmist statements and “nervous breakdowns”.
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Biden increases pressure on Moscow
The United States has placed 8,500 soldiers on alert. This means that they could be ready in five days to reinforce the rapid reaction force of the military alliance, made up of 40,000 soldiers, said Monday the spokesman of the Pentagon, John Kirby. “No decision has been taken on a deployment of forces (…) for the moment”, he said. Corn “it is very clear”, he added, “that the Russians currently have no intention of starting a de-escalation”.
Joe Biden is thus trying to tilt in his favor the balance of power established by his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, by massing troops on the border with Ukraine.
NATO, for its part, has announced that it will place forces on standby and send ships and combat aircraft to strengthen its defenses in Eastern Europe.
Moscow denounced a “hysteria” and accused the United States and NATO “to exacerbate tensions through announcements and concrete actions”. The Kremlin also ruled ” very high “ the risk of an offensive by Kiev against pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine. Kiev, for its part, judged Washington’s decision “premature” and « excessive ».
Europeans have been irritated in recent days by the supposed alarmism of the Americans, who seem to judge a Russian offensive as potentially imminent. But the United States assured Monday, by the voice of the spokesman of the State Department Ned Price, to have “no discrepancy” with the Europeans about the sanctions to be imposed on Russia in the event of an invasion of Ukraine, nor about the urgency of the threat.
In parallel with this rise in pressure, the United States continues despite everything to explore the diplomatic path. According to a European source, a new meeting would thus be planned between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, we learned from a European diplomatic source.
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Videoconference between Biden and several European leaders
In addition, a videoconference is scheduled for the evening between the President of the United States, Joe Biden, and several European leaders: French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Secretary General of the NATO Jens Stoltenberg, Polish President Andrzej Duda, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Transatlantic partners must find a common response to Russia’s military build-up on the Ukrainian border. “If diplomacy fails, we are very advanced in preparing responses to possible Russian aggression and it will certainly be quick and determined action, with strong unity”, assured the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.
Russia demands a written commitment on the non-enlargement of NATO to Ukraine and Georgia and demands a withdrawal of the forces and armaments of the Atlantic Alliance from the countries of Eastern Europe which have joined the NATO after 1997, notably from Romania and Bulgaria. Demands “non-negotiable” for Westerners.
Moscow assures that it has no intention of intervening in Ukraine, but supports the claims of pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country and has massed more than 100,000 soldiers, tanks and artillery on the Ukrainian borders. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov ruled on Monday ” very high “ the risk of an offensive by Ukrainian troops against pro-Russian separatists.
Also listen Should we fear a Russian invasion in Ukraine?
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A meeting between France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday
France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine will hold a meeting on Wednesday in Paris at the level of diplomatic advisers. It will involve advisers to Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Kremlin envoy for peace negotiations in Ukraine Dmitri Kozak, as well as the director of the presidential administration of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
This quadripartite format, known as “Normandy”, aims to implement the 2015 Minsk peace agreements, now stalled, to settle the conflict between Kiev and the pro-Russian Ukrainian separatists in the Donbass. Emmanuel Macron will soon meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to offer him “a path of de-escalation”, for its part announced the French presidency on Monday, specifying that the exchange would take place “in the next few days”.
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Financial support of 1.2 billion euros
The European Commission also announced on Monday that it was proposing to increase its financial support to Ukraine to the tune of 1.2 billion euros, to help this country meet its needs linked to the conflict with Russia. This is a new “emergency aid package” in preparation which will still have to be validated by the European Parliament and the Member States, specified Mme from the Leyen.
The Commission President also said that since the start of the conflict in 2014, the EU had already mobilized “17 billion euros in grants and loans” for the benefit of Ukraine.
This new aid will be allocated in several stages: a first tranche of 600 million euros will be “disbursed quickly”, said M.me von der Leyen, provided that the green light from the other EU institutions is quickly given. Brussels’ effort, she underlined, comes down to “double” EU-Ukraine bilateral aid in grants this year.