Blinken Due In Kyiv To Back Ukraine As Putin Stares Down West
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published January 19, 2022 | 11:48 AM
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to arrive in Kyiv Wednesday for crisis talks with Ukraine's leaders, as diplomatic efforts to dissuade Russia from attacking its pro-Western neighbour falter
Kyiv, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jan, 2022 ) :US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to arrive in Kyiv Wednesday for crisis talks with Ukraine's leaders, as diplomatic efforts to dissuade Russia from attacking its pro-Western neighbour falter.
After talks last week failed to ease fears, the White House warned Tuesday that Russia was ready to attack Ukraine at "any point".
It was a marked intensification of its threat assessment ahead of a meeting between Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expected in Geneva on Friday.
Ahead of that, the top US diplomat is scheduled to make a lightning visit to Kyiv in a show of support for Ukraine.
It will be followed by a trip to Berlin on Thursday for four-way talks with Britain, France and Germany to seek Western unity.
"We're now at a stage where Russia could at any point launch an attack on Ukraine," the White House's Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Tuesday.
"No option is off the table," she said, warning of an "extremely dangerous situation".
And she said that Russian President Vladimir Putin "has created this crisis".
Moscow has repeatedly denied that an invasion is planned.
- 'Diplomatic off-ramp' - In a call between the US and Russian top diplomats ahead of Blinken's trip, the Russian foreign ministry said Lavrov had called on Blinken "not to replicate speculation about the allegedly impending 'Russian aggression'".
US State Department spokesman Ned price said that Blinken "stressed the importance of continuing a diplomatic path to de-escalate tensions".
And a US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Blinken's goal was to see "if there is a diplomatic off-ramp" and "common ground" where Russia can be persuaded to pull back from Ukraine.
With tens of thousands of Russian troops massing on Ukraine's borders, efforts have intensified to prevent tensions escalating into a new European war.
However, in a joint press conference with visiting German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday, Lavrov said there would be no further negotiations until the West responds to its demands for sweeping security guarantees.
They include a permanent ban on Ukraine joining NATO.
Washington has rejected the demands.
While the United States and its European allies have no plans to meet a Russian attack against Ukraine with military force, the economic counter-measures would be unlike any used in the past, Washington says.
The US official said it was possible that Russia is not interested in a diplomatic solution.
"I think it's still too early to tell if the Russian government is genuinely interested in diplomacy, if it is prepared to negotiate seriously in good faith, or whether it will use discussions as a pretext to claim that diplomacy didn't address Moscow's interests," the official said.
Washington meanwhile warned that draft constitutional reforms in Belarus could lead to the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in the country.
Joint Russia-Belarus military exercises announced Tuesday by Minsk as Russian troops arrived in the country were "beyond normal", a US official said, and could presage a permanent Russian military presence involving both conventional and nuclear forces.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Robinson, bowlers help New Zealand go 2-1 up against Pakistan
Shahzeb Chachar to hold khuli kachehri on April 26
Heatwave amid Israel's aggression in Gaza brings new misery, disease risk
Tourism must change, mayor says as Venice launches entry fee
Court adjourns Judicial Complex attack case till May 17
Nasreen Noori’s book ‘Popatan Jahra Khwab’ launched
Wafaqi Mohtasib inspection team visits Excise and taxation office
AJLAC announces 5th Conference titled ‘People’s Mandate: Safeguarding Civil ..
Pak-US officials engage to enhance trade, investment ties
IBCC to promote educational excellence, expand regional presence
Pakistani 'Blue Helmets' serving UN Peacekeeping Mission in DR Congo set to leav ..
Putin says plans to visit China in May
More Stories From World
-
Slot 'confident' of Liverpool job as 'negotiations' take place
42 minutes ago -
Google parent Alphabet's Q1 profits beat estimates: company
52 minutes ago -
WADA asks 'independent prosecutor' to examine Chinese swimmers case
1 hour ago -
New York court overturns Harvey Weinstein sex crime conviction
1 hour ago -
Bagnaia and Spanish rivals chase victory at Jerez
3 hours ago -
Russian, Ukrainian strikes kill at least 10 in frontline regions
3 hours ago
-
Heatwave amid Israel's aggression in Gaza brings new misery, disease risk
3 hours ago -
Tourism must change, mayor says as Venice launches entry fee
3 hours ago -
Pakistani 'Blue Helmets' serving UN Peacekeeping Mission in DR Congo set to leave after 20 years of ..
4 hours ago -
Putin says plans to visit China in May
4 hours ago -
US reinstates open internet rules rescinded under Trump
4 hours ago -
Honda announces US$11 bn EV battery and vehicle plant in Canada
4 hours ago