Posted on 12/01/2021 3:47:44 AM PST by RomanSoldier19
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday called for direct talks with Moscow as tensions mounted over claims that Russia is laying the groundwork for an invasion.
Zelensky's call came as NATO looks to counter what it says is a build-up of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine, with US diplomatic chief Antony Blinken set to meet his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Stockholm on Thursday.
"We must tell the truth that we will not be able to end the war without direct talks with Russia," Zelensky said during an annual address to lawmakers in Kiev.
- ADVERTISEMENT - "Let's be honest, the war in Donbass has been going on for eight years," Zelensky said, referring to eastern Ukraine.
"We must talk, knowing that we have a strong and powerful army," Zelensky added, saying he was "not afraid" to speak directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kiev's Western allies have since last month warned of a fresh Russian troop buildup around Ukraine's borders and a possible winter invasion.
The alleged surge follows a similar buildup in the spring, when Russia gathered around 100,000 troops on Ukraine's borders but later announced a drawdown.
At the peak of those tensions Zelensky invited the Russian leader to meet for talks in eastern Ukraine, but the Kremlin declined the invitation.
- Moscow accusations -
Russian officials in turn have accused Kiev of massing tens of thousands of troops near separatist-controlled territory.
"The Armed Forces of Ukraine are building up their military strength, massing heavy equipment and personnel," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters Wednesday.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
I’d say Putin’s response will be....Got to Hell. We’ve had troops along that border for years. And as far as Crimea....The People voted to return to Russia.
Its hard to have talks with Putin about the Ukrainian war when he denies any involvement in the conflict.
Xi is watching.....
You're numbers are wrong. 125k vs 115k
""According to some reports, the number of Ukrainian troops in the conflict zone has already reached 125,000 personnel," she claimed, saying this represented half of Kiev's troops.
Those comments followed the Ukrainian foreign ministry saying Tuesday that Russia has massed 115,000 troops around Ukraine, on the Crimean peninsula and in two eastern regions occupied by the breakaway fighte
*yawn*
Walter Mondale: “I’d but us both in a room and neither of us would leave until there’s an agreement”. Like it would really happen.
The traitors and DC dipsh!ts running things are more than capable of blundering us into a shooting war with the Russians. In this volatile time of American loss of resolve and capability expect the rest of the world to move to fill the vacuum. It’s balance of power realities developed over hundreds of years. Getting involved would be similar to Putin supporting a Mexican dispute against the US with Warsaw Pact forces. Not our business.
You mean they have a border?
Back in the day we had 4 Russian mechanized Armies (100K troops each, with 35,000 tanks) facing us at 4 klicks away ... all 50 of us lightly armed soldiers ... if we could get into the trailer in time, if we could fine the key, or find bolt cutters to cut the rust lock) ...
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