Ukraine warns of ‘full-scale war’ and tragedy in Europe if Russia attacks
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This photograph depicts tanks belonging to the 92nd mechanized brigade separate of Ukrainian Armed Forces. It was taken in Kharkiv, Ukraine on January 31, 2022.
AFP| AFP | Getty Images
Volodymyr Zeleskyy, the President of Ukraine, warned against any military confrontations with Russia.
Following a meeting on Tuesday with Boris Johnson the U.K. Prime minister Zelenskyy declared that Russia has more than 100,000 troops at its borders with Ukraine and any conflict would impact all of Europe.
If the situation escalates against our state, it will end in tragedy. That is why I openly say: this will not be a war between Ukraine and Russia — this will be a war in Europe, full-scale war, because no one will give up their territories and people anymore,” the president said, speaking to reporters at a press conference with Johnson.
On Tuesday morning, Zelenskyy signed a decree to increase the size of Ukraine’s armed forces by 100,000 troops over the next three yearsHe also plans to raise the salaries of soldiers. But he maintained that this move does not indicate war with Russia is imminent.
“This decree [was prepared]Not because we will soon get a conflict… but so there is peace in Ukraine soon,” Zelenskyy informed lawmakers. According to Reuters Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine’s military, in both manpower and hardware, stands dwarfed in comparison with Russia’s.
The motto of the Nobody Needs a War’ campaign is:
Ukraine’s President, a recent entrant to politics prior to his 2019 election, has to navigate a delicate line between pretending to be calm about Russian concerns and looking for financial assistance from Western allies.
Ukraine is not an EU member or a NATO military alliance, however it does have a pro-Western government. NATO and the U.S. want to keep Ukraine from falling into Russia’s orbit.
The exact extent NATO would defend Ukraine militarily remains unknown. For now, however, the West has threatened to impose a number of sanctions on Russia in case it invades Ukraine.
Western governments were widely criticized for failing to be tough on Russia after it annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and analysts share concerns that Russia is weighing up whether another invasion of Ukraine — perhaps of its eastern Donbas region where there are two pro-Russian, self-proclaimed republics — is worth the price of more potential sanctions that the West has threatened.
Russia, on the other hand, has stated repeatedly that it doesn’t intend to invade Ukraine, but is determined to protect its security interests against what it considers an increase in Western military might in Europe.
Zelenskyy, Ukraine, stated Tuesday that no one needs to wage war but that he does not want anyone with guns in his country.
“The state, society, and army have all changed,” he said. He also stated that there would be no occupation in any of the cities and territories.
Johnson, for his part, noted that Johnson met with Zelenskyy in Kyiv and that it was “not necessary to say that an additional Russian invasion of Ukraine, would be a diplomatic disaster, a humanitarian catastrophe, in my opinion.” [and]Russia and the entire world would suffer a similar military tragedy. “The claims that President Putin is acting in the best interest of Ukrainian citizens are completely false.”
Johnson reiterated the U.K.’s, U.S.A. and EU readiness to impose further sanctions on Russia and its key sectors, individuals, as well as that sanctions would be enacted “the moment the first Russian Toecap crosses further into Ukrainian territory.”
It was not intended to show hostility toward Russia but rather as an indication that Ukraine will continue to defend freedom, democracy and Ukrainian sovereignty against aggression.
Russia: Where do you stand?
Russia repeatedly stated that it does not intend to invade Ukraine. Putin has supported the building of Russian troops at the Ukrainian border, stating that Russia is entitled to deploy military forces wherever it wishes on its territory. The West has been accused of creating “hysteria” over Ukraine.
According to analysts, Russia has larger goals than stopping Ukraine from gravitating towards the West. It also wants to keep and strengthen its sphere of influence over ex-Soviet states. And to prevent NATO expanding into its backyard.
Russia submitted a number of security recommendations to the U.S. to that effect in December. Its principle demand was that NATO not expand to the east and that Ukraine be admitted to its military alliance. It would also like to see NATO roll back its military deployments in eastern Europe.
NATO and the U.S. have declined to meet these demands, but both sides said that they would continue talking in an effort to reach compromises in areas in which both their security interests can be satisfied.
Putin made a public comment on the geopolitical crises on Tuesday for the first times in several weeks. He accused the West of not paying attention to key Russian security issues.
According to Reuters, Putin declared Tuesday at a press conference that it was already obvious “that fundamental Russian concerns were not addressed.”
Putin claimed that the U.S. desired to “contain Russia” by using Ukraine as its tool. This was in spite of Russia’s repeated position that any potential membership of Ukraine into NATO would be a “undermining to Russia’s safety.”
Let’s say that Ukraine is NATO member and is fully equipped with weapons. Then it launches an attack operation in Crimea. Putin described Crimea as “sovereign Russian territory”, referring to the part of Ukraine annexed in 2014 by Russia.
Imagine that Ukraine has become a NATO member country and launches a military operation. How should we proceed? [should we]Fight against NATO? Did anybody think even a little about this? Evidently not.
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