Kiev calls on Russia to withdraw its troops from the border and to dialogue

“Diplomacy is the only responsible way.” Ukraine on Sunday January 30 called on Russia to withdraw its troops massed along the border between the two countries and to continue dialogue with Westerners. Russia has deployed more than 100,000 troops and heavy weapons near Ukraine’s borders, according to Western countries, which fear the possibility of an invasion.

“If Russian officials are serious when they say they don’t want a new war, Russia must continue its diplomatic engagement and withdraw its massed forces along Ukraine’s borders and into the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.”Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba said on Twitter.

Moscow denies any plan of invasion, saying it does not want war but guarantees from the United States and NATO for its security. In particular, it demands assurances that Ukraine will not be admitted to the Alliance and that Washington will not establish new military bases in ex-Soviet countries.

Russia “does not want to remain in a position where (his) security is regularly violated”as in the event of an integration of Ukraine into NATO, declared Sunday the chief of the Russian diplomacy Sergueï Lavrov. The United States and the United Kingdom meanwhile brandished the threat of new sanctions against Russia on Sunday.

During a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, the Ukrainian foreign minister on Saturday called on Westerners to “be vigilant and firm in contacts with Russia”saying aim “a political and diplomatic settlement” of the crisis.