Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday night warned his citizens that the country would “stand to the last man” in the event of a war with Russia, as tensions continue along the border between the two nations.
“Does Ukraine want war? No. Is it ready for that? Yes,” Zelensky said in a Tuesday speech. The New York Times“Our principle is simple: Ukraine does not even start a war, but Ukraine always stands to the last man.”
Zelensky’s remarks come on the eve of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annual speech on the union on Wednesday. During his speech, Zelensky addressed Putin directly and called on him to convene for a peace summit in Donbas, a war-torn region where Ukraine’s military has been fighting Russian-backed separatists for years.
“It is impossible to bring peace in a tank,” Zelensky said in Russia before adding, “I am ready to invite you to meet anywhere in the Ukrainian Donbas where there is war.”
So far, the US and NATO have used ‘challenging actions’ with at least two warships in the Black Sea, The cup reported, due to increasing tensions between the two nations.
Over the past few days, Russia has amassed the largest concentration of forces in the region in years, raising concerns that the country intends to invade. Tensions between the two countries have since reached the highest levels since 2014, when Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and erupted large-scale fighting in the east of the country. The conflict has already cost nearly 14,000 lives.
Russian troops now number at least 40,000 in Crimea, with another 40,000 in regions along the border, equivalent to about 10 percent of the country’s entire military force, NBC News reported last week.
On April 15, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warned that if it crossed the ‘red line’, it would ‘suffer’.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken added last week that Russia’s presence in the region has raised serious concerns in Ukraine and the West.
“We are now seeing the largest concentration of Russian troops on Ukrainian borders since 2014,” Blinken said on April 13. “This is a great concern not only for Ukraine but also for the United States and many of our allies and partners. “
Later that day, President Joe Biden called on Russia to ease tensions during a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also “emphasized the unwavering commitment of the United States to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, according to reports.
The Biden government also decided last week to impose sanctions on Moscow for the SolarWinds cap of US government agencies and interference in the 2020 election.
Russia has so far denied plans to start a military conflict with Ukraine, instead accusing Western media of falsely raising tensions.
“The Ukrainian and Western media are dispelling the issue of Russian military activity near the border with Ukraine,” spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said last week. The cup.
During his speech to the union on Wednesday, Putin accused Western countries of trying to “force their will on others”.
“I hope no one will think of crossing the ‘red line’ in relation to Russia, which we will define ourselves in each specific case,” the Russian president said, adding: “Russia’s response will be swift, asymmetrical. and be serious. “
Newsweek contacted the White House for additional comment, but did not hear in time for publication.