Risk of conflict in Ukraine is “real”, warns Jens Stoltenberg


NATO is worried about the “real” risk of conflict in Ukraine with the continuation of the Russian military reinforcement at its borders, and must prepare for a failure of diplomacy, warned Friday the secretary general of the Alliance Jens Stoltenberg.

NATO is worried about the “real” risk of conflict in Ukraine with the continuation of the Russian military reinforcement at its borders, and must prepare for a failure of diplomacy, warned Friday the secretary general of the Alliance Jens Stoltenberg. “Russia’s military build-up continues around Ukraine and is accompanied by a threatening speech from Moscow if its demands are not accepted. Yet they are unacceptable and the risk of a new conflict is real,” said Mr Stoltenberg after a videoconference meeting with the foreign ministers of the Alliance countries.

The Kremlin made public at the end of last year two treaty proposals committing NATO to exclude any future membership of Ukraine and to reduce its forces near the borders with Russia. “It is out of the question for NATO to compromise on the principle of the right of each nation to choose its own path, including the type of security agreement to which it wants to be part,” said Jens Stoltenberg.

To read : Russia would prepare an offensive against Ukraine involving up to 175,000 men

US-Russian talks are due to open Monday in Geneva to defuse the risk of Russian intervention in Ukraine. Moscow also agreed to participate in a NATO-Russia Council meeting on Wednesday, the first since the summer of 2019. “This is a positive signal because tensions are high,” said Jens Stoltenberg. But the allies set conditions. “The Russian government must de-escalate, pursue diplomatic channels and respect its commitments in terms of transparency of military activities,” demanded British Foreign Minister Liz Truss. His Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau for his part affirmed that “the talks with Russia cannot take place in a situation of escalation towards Ukraine and NATO”.

“We need to prepare for the prospect of the consultation failing”

“No discussion on the security of Europe will take place without Europeans at the negotiating table,” Jens Stoltenberg also insisted. The head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, for his part promised in Kiev that there would be “no discussion on Ukraine without Ukraine”. “The entire geopolitical situation in the region requires that Europe, the European Union, be able to propose its vision of things, act and sit around the table with all the stakeholders,” French President Emmanuel insisted on Friday. Macron during a meeting in Paris with members of the European Commission chaired by the German Ursula von der Leyen. “We have to prepare for the prospect that the consultation will fail,” warned Jens Stoltenberg.

“If Russia decides to use military means against a neighbor, it will be hit by severe economic and political sanctions,” he also said. But NATO will not intervene militarily, because Ukraine is not a member country of the Alliance, he repeated. “Ukraine is a partner, but is not covered by the collective defense clause among the 30 allies,” he said. The Alliance is, however, preparing to strengthen its military presence on its eastern flank. “We have significant capabilities,” said Jens Stoltenberg, recalling that NATO had a rapid reaction force of 40,000 men.

On Friday, the head of American diplomacy Anthony Blinken for his part assured at a press conference in Washington that a “diplomatic solution” with Russia “is still possible”, if Moscow plays the game of dialogue, to defuse the crisis around Ukraine. “We are ready to respond with force to a new Russian aggression. But a diplomatic solution is still possible, and preferable, if Russia chooses this path,” he said before a week of talks between the West and Moscow .

He added that the United States will not be “distracted” by Russian demands to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO. “Russia now demands that the United States and NATO sign treaties to withdraw NATO forces stationed on the soil of allies in Central and Eastern Europe, and to prohibit Ukraine from joining NATO , and wants to involve us in a debate on NATO rather than focusing on the hot topic which is its aggression against Ukraine. We will not let ourselves be distracted by this, “he added.

Read also : Exchange of warnings on Ukraine between Biden and Putin

Any reproduction prohibited



Source link -112