Munich – AFP
European Council President Charles Michel said on Sunday that Western allies cannot continue to “offer an olive branch” to Russia while Moscow continues to escalate tension along the Ukrainian border, reiterating the West’s determination to respond to any aggression on Ukrainian territory with a package of sanctions against Russia.
“The big question remains: Does the Kremlin want dialogue?” Michel added during the Munich Security Conference. We cannot offer an olive branch forever while Russia conducts missile tests and continues to build forces” on Ukraine’s borders.
He pointed out that the Kremlin’s statements “gave a glimmer of hope a few days ago, but its actions show a continuous military build-up with dangerous incidents in the Donbass” in eastern Ukraine, where armed confrontations have multiplied in recent days.
He renewed the West’s determination to respond to any aggression on Ukrainian territory with a package of sanctions against Russia.
Charles Michel added that Russia “hoped to sow division and weaken our alliance and division, but in fact it did the exact opposite,” stressing that the unity of Americans and Europeans “has been strengthened.”
International leaders and diplomats meet until Sunday as part of the Munich Security Conference to discuss defense issues.
This annual conference coincides with the height of tensions between Moscow and the West, which accuses Russia of preparing to invade Ukraine after amassing forces on its borders for weeks.
The White House confirmed that Russia could launch an attack on Ukraine “at any time”, while US President Joe Biden said he was “convinced” that Vladimir Putin made the decision to invade the country.