(Kiev) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday declared a day of unity for Wednesday, cited by media as a potential date for a Russian attack.
Posted at 3:21 p.m.
Updated at 3:45 p.m.
“We are told that February 16 will be the day of the attack. We will make it a day of unity,” the head of state said in an address to the nation, calling on Ukrainians to hang the national flag and display its blue and yellow colors on this day.
Mr. Zelensky also accused Russia of “waging war” against Ukraine “on all fronts” and of “seeking to sow panic among Ukrainians and investors”.
“Our state is stronger than ever” and “we are preparing dignified responses to all possible attacks,” assured the head of state.
While Russia continues to accuse Kiev of preparing an offensive against the pro-Russian separatists it supports in eastern Ukraine, Mr. Zelensky also assured that his country “longs for peace and does not want to resolve all questions only through the diplomatic channel”.
A Russian attack “hangs in our face”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Monday evening that “all the elements” were in place for a “strong” military offensive by Russia in Ukraine.
“Are there all the elements for a strong offensive by Russian forces in Ukraine? Yes it’s true, it’s possible there, it’s possible quickly, ”he said on the France 5 channel.
“That’s what hangs in our face,” he added very directly, while emphasizing that at this time there are no indications of imminent Russian intervention.
“Has President Putin made his decisions about an operation or not? In my opinion, there is no indication of that today. »
Another chance for diplomacy
“There is hot and cold […] to say that there is still a diplomatic solution, yes that’s for sure,” he added, as President Putin prepared to receive German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday.
Russia on Monday deemed possible a diplomatic settlement of the Russian-Western crisis around Ukraine and announced the end of certain military maneuvers, when the fear of an imminent invasion reached its peak.
“There is an unbearable military situation with an escalation that is increasing”, however hammered Jean-Yves Le Drian. “The emergency for all is to stop the escalation”.
According to him, “Vladimir Putin wants to prevent Ukraine from having its sovereignty, its integrity, wants a ‘rump state’ on its doorstep”.
“If by chance the sovereignty, somewhere of sovereignty or the integrity of Ukraine were challenged by a significant intervention on the part of Russia, then there would be massive consequences, massive sanctions”, a- he reiterated, in unison with the Western allies.
Washington and London still believe in talks
“There remains a crucial opportunity for diplomacy” in the current crisis around Ukraine, however, believe British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden who spoke on Monday by telephone.
“The Prime Minister and President Biden updated each other on their recent discussions with fellow world leaders. They agreed that there remained a crucial opportunity for diplomacy and for Russia to drop its threats to Ukraine,” a spokesman for Boris Johnson said after the call.
The leaders repeated that an incursion into Ukraine “would lead to a protracted crisis for Russia, with considerable damage for both Russia and the world”.
They underlined the need for Westerners to “remain united in the face of Russian threats, including by imposing a significant set of sanctions in the event of an escalation of Russian aggression”, as well as “the need for European countries to reduce their dependence to Russian gas, a measure which, more than any other, would go to the heart of Russia’s strategic interests. »
Earlier in the day, Boris Johnson had judged a Russian invasion of Ukraine possible “within 48 hours” and had called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to move away from the “precipice”.
According to Downing Street, Mr Johnson has decided to cut short a trip to the northwest of England to return to London and intends to chair an inter-ministerial crisis meeting on Tuesday after being briefed by the intelligence services.