The United Kingdom on Saturday January 22 accused Russia of “seek to install a pro-Russian leader in Kiev” and D’” to consider “ d’” to occupy “ Ukraine, the day after US-Russian talks which seemed to have begun a detente. In an abrasive statement, the head of British diplomacy Liz Truss denounced “the extent of Russian activity aimed at undermining Ukraine”. “According to our information, the Russian government is seeking to install a pro-Russian leader in Kiev, while it plans to invade and occupy Ukraine”, she added.
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The Foreign Office claims that “Ex-Ukrainian MP Yevgeniy Murayev is considered a potential candidate”, but he is not the only one: the Russian intelligence services maintain “ties with many former Ukrainian politicians”. British diplomacy thus evokes the names of Serguiï Arbouzov (the first Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine from 2012 to 2014, then acting Prime Minister), Andriï Klouïev (who headed the presidential administration of the former chief of the Ukrainian state Viktor Yanukovych), Volodymyr Sivkovytch (the former deputy secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council) or even Mykola Azarov (the Prime Minister of Ukraine from 2010 to 2014).
“Some of them are in contact with Russian intelligence agents currently involved in planning an attack on Ukraine”, accuses the ministry. This scenario according to which Russia could seize its neighbor has in this respect been described as“ineptitude” by the Chief of the German Navy, Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach. Comments which earned him the announcement by the German Ministry of Defense, in the evening, of his resignation.
“Frank” talks
These British statements come just hours after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu agreed to a meeting with his British counterpart Ben Wallace. Mr Shoigu proposed that the meeting take place in Moscow. This bilateral meeting, the first since 2013, aims to“explore all avenues to achieve stability and a settlement of the Ukrainian crisis”, a source at the British Ministry of Defense said on Saturday.
US considering new UK charges “deeply worrying”, the White House said on Saturday in response to the Foreign Office statement. “This kind of conspiracy is deeply concerning. The Ukrainian people have the sovereign right to determine their own future, and we stand with our democratically elected partners in Ukraine.”, said Emily Horne, spokeswoman for the National Security Council. In response, Moscow called on London to “stop spreading nonsense”.
Accused by the West of having massed tens of thousands of soldiers on the Ukrainian border with a view to an attack, the Kremlin denies any bellicose intentions but links a de-escalation to treaties guaranteeing in particular the non-enlargement of NATO, in particular to Ukraine. Unacceptable, reply the Westerners, who threaten Russia with severe sanctions in the event of an attack.
Despite irreconcilable positions for the moment, a relaxation began on Friday between the West and Moscow after several weeks of verbal escalation, during talks in Geneva between the heads of Russian and American diplomats, Sergei Lavrov and Antony Blinken. The two ministers agreed on Friday to continue their « francs » talks, making UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres hope that an invasion of Ukraine or a military incursion into its territory “won’t happen”.