G7 nations to impose ‘massive’ economic sanctions on Russia in case of invasion of Ukraine

 

ROME, FEB 14: Finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations said on Monday they are prepared to impose “massive” economic sanctions on Russia should it attack Ukraine.

They called the Russian build-up of forces on Ukraine’s borders “a cause for grave concern” and that should a military invasion proceed as the West fears there will be a rapid impact on Russia.

“We reiterate that in particular any further military aggression by Russia against Ukraine will be met with a swift, coordinated and forceful response,” a joint statement said.

“We are prepared to collectively impose economic and financial sanctions which will have massive and immediate consequences on the Russian economy,” it continued.

Top US officials said in recent days that intelligence suggests Russia could be planning to invade Ukraine “at any time.” Washington now puts the number of Russian troops amassed near its neighbour at 130,000.

Despite this build-up, Russia has repeatedly denied having any intent to invade Ukraine and accuses the West of “scaremongering.”

Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, Britain and Canada form the G7. The rotating presidency is currently held by Germany.

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Courtesy Anews

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Ukraine considers dropping ambition to join NATO to avoid war – envoy

 

Kyiv, FEB 14: Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK has said the country could consider dropping its ambition to join NATO to avoid war with Russia. Vadym Prystaiko told BBC Radio 5 that the country would, due to threats and blackmail, consider “serious concessions” including removing the goal of joining the Nato alliance from the Ukrainian constitution.

It comes as armed forces minister James Heappey warned against extending Nato’s “collective security” to a non-member and Boris Johnson is due to join last-ditch diplomatic efforts in Europe.

Mr Heappey said the deterrence of Russia needed to go beyond economic sanctions, but that Nato’s “defensive” operations were “very different” from offering its collective security to a non-member “especially with the very real possibility that the alliance fractures as a result”.

Writing in The Times, Mr Heappey said: “Nato has always been a defensive alliance that sovereign nations have chosen to join for their collective security. NATO does not attack others.

“Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, NATO has deployed beyond its borders to Afghanistan in response to an attack on the United States; played a role in counterinsurgency and counter-piracy missions in sub-Saharan Africa, Iraq and the Indian Ocean; and played an important part in stabilising the Balkans after the break-up of the former Yugoslavia.

“I would argue, however, that these are all very different from offering the collective security of the alliance to a non-member especially with the very real possibility that the alliance fractures as a result. It would also be exactly the pretext Putin needs to claim that he’s responding to western aggression on his borders.”

As Ukraine is not a Nato member and allies in the defence alliance have said they would not join fighting in Ukraine but have bolstered forces in neighbouring nations and are threatening widespread sanctions.

Downing Street conceded Moscow could be planning to invade “at any moment” but the Prime Minister will hold talks with world leaders before a trip to Europe during this week’s “window of opportunity” for de-escalation.

The UK and other Nato allies have urged their citizens to flee Ukraine and some airlines have cancelled flights to Kyiv amid growing concerns that the estimated 130,000 Russian troops amassed on the border could be poised to attack.

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Courtesy Anews

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Ukraine sees no point closing airspace amid Russia tension: official

 

Kyiv, FEB 13: Ukraine sees no point closing its airspace amid the tensions with Moscow, a senior Ukrainian official said on Sunday, after the United States warned that Russia could invade the eastern European nation at any time.

Dutch carrier KLM said it would stop flying to Ukraine and Germany’s Lufthansa said it was considering suspending flights.

Ukraine’s SkyUp said on Sunday it had to divert one flight after the owner of the leased aircraft barred it from entering Ukrainian airspace.

“The most important point is that Ukraine itself sees no point in closing the sky. This is nonsense. And, in my opinion, it somewhat resembles a kind of partial blockade,” said Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian president’s chief of staff.

“If particular air carriers decide to reconfigure the flight schedule, this certainly has nothing to do with the decisions or policies of our state,” he told Reuters.

The United States, its Western allies and other nations have been scaling back or evacuating embassy staff and have advised their citizens not to travel to Ukraine amid the standoff.

Washington says the Russian military, which has more than 100,000 troops massed near Ukraine, could invade at any moment.

Moscow denies having any such plan and has described such warnings as “hysteria”.

At Kyiv’s Borispil Airport, the largest in Ukraine, there was little sign on Saturday of an exodus. Oksana Yurchenko was travelling back to Australia with her child.

“We were visiting our family here in Ukraine. We were planning to stay a bit longer but this situation is a bit scary,” the chef and a beauty salon owner said.

Australia has advised its citizens to leave Ukraine and said on Sunday it was evacuating its embassy.

Ricky, a Scotsman who lives in Ukraine, said he saw no sign of public anxiety on the streets. “I do not see anyone in fear in Ukraine, everyone is just getting on with their life,” he said at the airport as he waited for a flight to go on holiday.

Ukraine’s SkyUp said in a statement that one of its planes, carrying 175 passengers from Portugal, had to land in Moldova on Saturday instead of continuing to Ukraine after the Ireland-based owner of the leased aircraft prevented the aircraft from entering Ukrainian airspace.

It did not give further details.

KLM, part of Air France, said it would stop flying to Ukraine immediately, reported on Saturday, while Lufthansa said it was considering suspending air traffic to Ukraine but had yet to decide.

Two third of the 298 passengers killed when Malaysia Airlines MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine in 2014, as it flew from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, were Dutch citizens.

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Courtesy Dawn News

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NATO warns Russia will pay 'high price' if uses force against Ukraine

 

Brussels, NOV 30: Russia will pay a “high price” if it uses force against Ukraine, and the West has already shown that it can wield economic, financial and political sanctions against Moscow, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.

“There will be a high price to pay for Russia if they once again use force against the independence of the nation, Ukraine,” Stoltenberg told reporters as he arrived for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Riga, Latvia.

“We have different options and we have demonstrated over the years, in reactions to Russia‘s previous use of military force against Ukraine, that we can sustain heavy economic and financial sanctions, political sanctions.

“And also the fact that we have increased our presence here in the region, both in the Black Sea region but also in the Baltic region, in the air or land and at sea, is a direct reaction to the Russian military incursion into Ukraine, the illegal annexation of Crimea.”

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Courtesy Anews

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Ukrainian president says Russia hardly pulled out any border troops

Kyiv, JUN 9 – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday Russia has pulled out only 11,000 out of 105,000 border troops.

Briefing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the security situation in the east and near Ukraine during a phone talk, Zelensky said only part of the Russian troops and heavy weapons has been withdrawn from Ukraine’s border.

“Russia has almost not withdrawn its troops. Out of 105,000 Russian servicemen, only 11,000 went back,” Zelensky said, stressing the importance of maintaining international pressure on Russia.

For his part, Trudeau reassured Zelensky of Canada’s “unwavering support,” adding that the two countries “remain great friends.”

The two leaders also discussed ways to support Ukraine’s efforts toward NATO membership and coordination of efforts between Ukraine and Canada in the case of the downing of the PS752 flight by Iran.

In April, Kyiv accused Moscow of gathering a large group of armed forces on its border, voicing concern over possible annexation of the Donbas region. In response, Russia said it was concerned by the upcoming NATO exercises in Ukraine and the gathering of the Ukrainian armed forces in Donbas.

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COURTESY Anews

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