Russia has rubbished Western warnings that Moscow is able to invade Ukraine as 'fully ridiculous' and blamed NATO for growing tensions within the area by desirous to 'drag' Kyiv into the alliance.
The area has been on a knife-edge because the finish of final 12 months when Russian President Vladimir Putin moved greater than 100,000 troops, in addition to tanks and missiles, near its border with Ukraine.
And tensions have ramped up in current days after a surge in gear and troop actions, amongst them army police, from the acute east of Russia to the border - prompting the West to warn that Moscow intends to invade.
However as we speak, the top of Russia's Safety Council, Nikolai Patrushev, rejected these warnings of an impending invasion, describing them as 'ridiculous'.
'At the moment, they're saying that Russia threatens Ukraine - that is fully ridiculous,' Patrushev was quoted as saying by Russian state information company Tass. 'We do not need conflict and we do not want it in any respect.'
Russia has issued a listing of safety calls for to the US and its NATO allies, together with a ban on Ukraine becoming a member of NATO and the withdrawal of troops from ex-Soviet states. However the alliance has described a lot of the checklist as 'non-starters'.
Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov as we speak reiterated Moscow's opposition to Ukraine becoming a member of the alliance.
NATO 'has already come near Ukraine. In addition they wish to drag this nation there,' Lavrov stated, 'though everybody understands that Ukraine isn't prepared and will make no contribution to strengthening NATO safety.'
Ukraine has sought NATO membership for years, however any prospects of becoming a member of seem far off because the nation struggles to seek out political stability and assault corruption.
Lavrov additionally stated Sunday that Russia needs 'mutually respectful' relations with the U.S. and denied posing a risk to Ukraine, because the UK stated it was getting ready contemporary sanctions in opposition to Moscow.
Tensions have soared between Moscow and Washington after Western governments accused Russia of amassing tens of hundreds of troops on its border with ex-Soviet Ukraine.
'We would like good, equal, mutually respectful relations with the US, like with each nation on this planet,' Lavrov instructed Russian TV on Sunday.
He added, nevertheless, that Russia doesn't wish to stay ready 'the place our safety is infringed every day'.
Western leaders have scrambled to defuse the disaster by reaching out to Putin, whereas additionally vowing unprecedented sanctions ought to Moscow launch an assault.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has known as on the West to keep away from stirring 'panic' within the face of the Russian troop build-up, whereas Overseas Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated it was vital to stay 'agency' in talks with Moscow.
Britain stated it's getting ready to unveil sanctions in opposition to Moscow that will goal firms near the Kremlin.
'There will probably be nowhere to cover for Putin's oligarchs,' UK Overseas Secretary Liz Truss stated Sunday.
The Overseas Secretary urged Russia to step again from an invasion as Britain made clear it can enhance troop numbers at Nato 's borders and take into account sending extra weapons.
Ms Truss stated Nato powers needed to 'be sure' that any incursion precipitated as many issues as doable for Russia, and predicted Ukrainians would 'struggle arduous'.
'This might properly lead to a quagmire just like the Russians noticed in Afghanistan or Chechnya,' she stated.
The feedback got here after Boris Johnson stated a brand new provide to Nato would 'ship a transparent message to the Kremlin' that 'we won't tolerate their destabilising exercise'.
Along with bolstering troop numbers, No 10 stated this might contain sending defensive weapons to Estonia.
Quick jets, warships and army specialists may be despatched to guard Nato allies.
Putin on Friday held a telephone name with French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is predicted to talk with the Russian chief subsequent week.
A number of Western officers are anticipated to go to Ukraine within the coming days, together with French Overseas Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock and Polish Prime Minster Mateusz Morawiecki.
Canada's Defence Minister Anita Anand arrived for a two-day go to to Kyiv Sunday after her authorities introduced it can lengthen its ongoing coaching mission in Ukraine and despatched non-lethal provides, resembling bulletproof vests.
Following a flurry of diplomatic efforts over the previous weeks, Washington and NATO introduced Moscow with a written response to its safety calls for.
Russia stated the replies, which weren't made public, didn't handle its fundamental considerations however didn't rule out additional talks.
Ukraine has turned more and more to the West since Moscow seized the Crimea peninsula in 2014 and commenced fuelling a separatist battle within the east of the nation that has claimed over 13,000 lives.
