By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS – U.S. Linda Thomas-Greenfield is the Ambassador to United Nations. She cancelled her planned trip to Liberia to concentrate on U.N. Diplomacy about Russia’s troop buildup in Ukraine.

After President Joe Biden’s conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the White House made it clear that Thomas-Greenfield would remain in New York. A U.S. official confirmed this to Reuters. Biden assured Putin that the West would respond to any invading force.

A spokesperson from the U.S. Mission to the United Nations stated that Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield would remain in New York in order to continue diplomacy in relation to Russia’s increasing military build-up at Ukraine’s borders.

Thursday’s meeting of the U.N. Security Council, scheduled for the regular schedule, will be devoted to the Minsk accords. They were approved by the council in 2015. These agreements are designed to put an end to separatist warfare by Russian-speakers within eastern Ukraine.

Diplomats believe that Western countries will raise concern about Russia’s military escalation during the meeting. Diplomats indicated that it is likely that the topic will be discussed when Security Council Envoys gather with U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres Monday for their monthly lunch.

On Friday, the United States stated that Russia’s military, with more than 100,000 soldiers near Ukraine, might invade any time. Russia denied having such plans and said its actions were a reaction to NATO countries’ aggression.

At a request by Washington, two weeks ago for a public meeting on Moscow’s troop-building near Ukraine, tensions rose between Russia and America. Russia failed to block the discussions.

The spokesperson for the United States mission to the United Nations stated that Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine was a threat both to international peace and security, and every U.N. member country. While we hope Russia decides to dialogue rather than conflict, however, it is open for negotiation in any case.

Security and international peace is the responsibility of 15 member nations that make up U.N. Security Council. The council will not be able take action on the Ukraine crisis beyond discussing it, as Russia, China and France are among the five veto power members.

Already, this council met many times to discuss the Ukraine crisis since Russia annexed Crimea.

China supported Russia’s efforts to block the January 31 meeting of the United States council. Thomas-Greenfield expressed hope that China would urge Russia “to do the right things” regarding Ukraine last week, prompting her Chinese counterpart’s response with a call to diplomacy as well as an end to the “hyping the tension”.

Thomas-Greenfield, a member in Biden’s Cabinet, was due to travel to Liberia Sunday to attend bicentennial celebrations there. These celebrate the arrival of Black children, men and women from the United States to Providence Island.

For the Security Council meeting about the Minsk accords, she was due to be back in New York on Thursday.

U.S. officials announced that Dana Banks (senior director for Africa, White House National Security Council) will lead the delegation to Liberia.