“We must avoid playing with our nerves and alarmist reactions which even have financial consequences”, warned the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell on Monday, after a meeting with the foreign ministers of the EU. EU in which the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken participated by videoconference.
In the same vein, French President Emmanuel Macron will propose “a path of de-escalation” in the Ukrainian crisis to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during an interview “in the coming days”, the Elysée announced on Monday. France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine will hold a meeting on Wednesday in Paris on Ukraine at the level of diplomatic advisers.
An American “dramatization”?
Russia is accused by the West of having massed tens of thousands of soldiers on the Ukrainian borders for an attack, which it denies.
Europeans surprised by US ‘dramatization’ of situation in Ukraine with announcement of Russian invasion ‘at any time’ and decision to remove families of diplomats stationed in Kyiv . On Monday, the Pentagon announced that it had placed 8,500 soldiers on alert who could be deployed among NATO troops. “The Russians currently have no intention of starting a de-escalation,” said the US military, while Washington claims to have “no differences” with the Europeans.
Meanwhile, NATO announced Monday to place forces on standby and send ships and fighter planes to strengthen its defenses in Eastern Europe. “I don’t think there is anything new that can increase the feeling of fear of an immediate attack,” he said.