Atlantic, Mediterranean, Pacific
Moscow announces several naval maneuvers
01/20/2022, 1:05 p.m
Tensions between Russia and the US over the Ukraine conflict are increasing. The West has been threatening Moscow with massive consequences for weeks. Now Russia wants to start a big maneuver – 10,000 soldiers are supposed to take part.
Amid tensions with Ukraine and its western partners, Russia has announced large-scale naval maneuvers in the Atlantic, Arctic, Pacific and Mediterranean. A total of more than 140 ships, more than 60 aircraft and about 1,000 pieces of other military equipment are involved in the exercises planned for January and February, the Russian Defense Ministry said, according to Russian news agencies. Around 10,000 soldiers are said to take part.
Because of massive Russian troop movements on the Ukrainian border, the West fears an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine. Moscow argues that the troop deployment is taking place on Russian territory and therefore threatens “no one”. For weeks, the West has been threatening Moscow with massive consequences if it invades Ukraine.
Diplomatic efforts to contain the crisis are currently in full swing. Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock received US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, her French colleague Jean-Yves Le Drian and Great Britain’s Deputy Foreign Minister James Cleverly for consultations in Berlin. A meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva is on Blinken’s agenda on Friday.
EU threatens economic and financial sanctions
EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has meanwhile warned Russia of a miscalculation in the Ukraine conflict. For Russia, economic relations with the EU are “much more important” than vice versa, emphasized von der Leyen at an online event of the World Economic Forum (WEF). “Should the situation deteriorate and should there be further attacks on Ukraine’s territorial integrity, we will respond with massive economic and financial sanctions.” The EU is “by far Russia’s most important trading partner” and also the “biggest investor” in the country, emphasized von der Leyen. “And yes, this trade relationship is important for us. But it is much more important for Russia.”
Germany and France in particular are promoting a revival of the so-called Normandy format during the crisis. During her visit to Moscow this week, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock advocated getting the format going again, and French President Emmanuel Macron also emphasized his willingness to hold talks in this format. The Normandy format includes Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine; The aim is to settle the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian army have been in a military conflict there since 2014. Kiev and the West accuse Moscow of supporting the separatists with arms, which the Kremlin denies.