Sometimes mired in corruption and facing ongoing challenges in many areas of society, Ukraine — a former soviet republic – is a country that many people usually overlook.

Yet despite these challenges – many of which have been inherited from its time in the Soviet Union – Ukraine maintains a largely democratic structure that attempts to uphold the rule of law and provides a level of freedom and freedom for its citizens.

Following:Putin ‘won’t stop’ with Ukraine: Why Americans should care about Russia’s aggression against its neighbor

There is no treaty that binds the defense of Ukraine to the United States because the first is not a member of NATO. And while the United States is a signatory to the 1994 Budapest Memorandumwhich effectively handed over nuclear weapons from Kiev to Moscow in exchange for promises to respect The territorial integrity of Ukraineit is not a treaty obligation for Washington that promises protection by US troops.

But if Russia invades Ukraine again, as it did in 2014 with the illegal annexation of Crimea and deadlocked frozen conflicts in the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk, or installs a pro-Russian puppet regime in Kiev, it threatens much of the world order that has existed since the end of World War II.

Following:OnPolitics: Why should Americans care about the Ukraine conflict?

This order is messy and has sometimes caused economic upheaval, but the world since 1945 has been made much safer through the expansion of the free market, constitutional rights and freedom, in many parts of the globe.

As such, policymakers in the United States and its allies should do all they can to dissuade Vladimir Putin further territorial violations of Ukraine.

Following:Respect, fear, power: what motivates Vladimir Putin to threaten Ukraine?

Not having at least helped Ukraine encourages other autocratic regimes around the world such as China, Iran and Turkey to adopt similar behaviors. Suddenly, there may be far less freedom and far fewer protections for constitutional rights and the free market.

Vladimir Putin has long argued that NATO’s expansion into Eastern Europe is an inherent security threat to Russia. Historically, Russia has been invaded from the west on several occasions: by Poland-Lithuania in 1610, Sweden in 1709, Napoleon’s France in 1812, during the Russian Civil War in 1917, and Hitler Germany in 1941 Yet this argument is a “strawman” in many ways.

Russia accuses the United States of generating “hysteria” by calling the United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday to discuss Ukraine.

The United States convened the 15-member meeting in New York as the world watches with intensity Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggressive military buildup on the Ukrainian border and various intelligence reports indicate an incursion is all but certain.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration is reportedly crafting “specific sanctions packages” targeting Russian oligarchs and “elites” within the Kremlin’s inner circle that would be imposed if Moscow invades Ukraine, he said. was revealed on Monday.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the meeting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused the Biden administration of spreading misleading information in order to foment further tensions.

“Much to our dismay, the US media has recently released a massive amount of unverified, distorted and deliberately misleading information about what is happening in and around Ukraine,” Peskov said according to multiple media outlets.

“The hysteria promoted by Washington is causing hysteria in Ukraine, almost to the point where people are packing their bags for the front. That’s a fact. And that’s the flip side, the very harmful side of the campaign that Washington is now suing.

Monday’s meeting was contentious from the start, with Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya calling for a vote on whether to proceed first.

But the effort failed, only Russia and China voted against, 10 countries voted for and Gabon, India and Kenya abstained.

Nebenzya accused the United States of trying to “raise the hysteria” and denounced “the myth of Russian aggression”.

The Biden administration is reportedly considering ‘specific’ sanctions packages targeting Vladimir Putin’s cronies after President Biden said he wouldn’t rule out sanctioning the Russian leader himself

On Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is preparing to have a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Behind the scenes, U.S. officials are reportedly reviewing “a broad list of individuals” and their families to target with tough economic sanctions if Moscow goes ahead, according to the FinancialTimes.

“Putin’s cronies will no longer be able to use their spouses or other family members as proxies to evade sanctions,” senior administration officials told the outlet.

“The individuals we have identified are in or near internal Kremlin circles and play a role in government decision-making or are minimally complicit in the destabilizing behavior of the Kremlin.”

They did not name specific individuals so as not to give notice to intended targets, but would have chosen oligarchs with a significant financial stake in the West.

“Sanctions would cut them off from the international financial system and ensure that they and their family members can no longer enjoy the benefits of parking their money in the West and attending elite Western universities,” the leaders said. Biden officials.

A photograph shows tanks of the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces parked at their base near the village of Klugino-Bashkirivka in the Kharkiv region on January 31

Tanks must restore combat capability after completing a combat mission in war-torn eastern Ukraine

An administration official said CNN that they were considered “particularly vulnerable targets”.

They said the sanctions being drafted would be of a “massive” scale to “atrophy Russia’s ability to pursue its strategic ambitions”.

“The Russian elite should fear the consequences inflicted on them if Russia continues to invade,” the official said.

The Russian elites to be targeted come from “any sector of the Russian economy identified by the Treasury Secretary” and include some names from a 2018 list of powerful individuals and companies designated by the Trump administration.

The Treasury’s 2018 list includes “seven Russian oligarchs and 12 companies they own or control, 17 senior Russian government officials and a Russian state-owned arms trading company and its subsidiary, a Russian bank” designated by the Treasury under the Trump administration,” according to the Department.

An official reportedly said the sanctions are only part of the wide range of sanctions the United States is considering if Russia invades Ukraine.

President Biden said last week that he would not rule out personally sanctioning Putin, as US reports indicate an “imminent” invasion and UK intelligence signals an alleged coup plot by the Russians in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital.

Ukrainian servicemen stand next to an armored personnel carrier (APC) of the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, parked at their base near the village of Klugino-Bashkirivka, Kharkiv region, on 31 January

Thousands of Ukrainian civilians join Territorial Forces to fight alongside 250,000 regular soldiers to defend their country

Meanwhile, international intelligence reports say a Russian invasion could be ‘imminent’

At the same time, federal lawmakers in Congress are preparing to act on their own set of sanctions.

In a show of bipartisan unity, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez and high-ranking member Sen. Jim Risch appeared together on CNN on Sunday to discuss a two-tiered approach to punishing Russia.

This would likely include steps to impose sanctions on actions Russia has already taken, such as a massive cyberattack on the Ukrainian government for which Kyiv claims Moscow is responsible.

They are also looking to potentially send more weapons to Ukraine on top of the lethal and defensive aid already sent.

Russia’s threatening posture towards the former Soviet state has accelerated the deterioration of relations between Moscow and Washington, now at their lowest point since the Cold War.

Monday will mark the West’s most high-profile attempt to dissuade Russia through diplomacy, as representatives of the world’s most powerful nations meet in New York.

Previous talks between Russia and the United States and their NATO allies in Europe have so far been unsuccessful.

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who will be at Monday’s meeting, told ABC News in a television interview on Sunday: “We have made it clear that we are ready to address our concerns, concerns Ukrainian and Russian concerns at the diplomatic table, but that cannot be done on the battlefield.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday accused NATO of trying to bring Kiev into the alliance, while Russia has massed 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders. Moscow wants NATO to exclude Ukraine’s membership as a condition of its withdrawal.

Russian Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev said talk of a Russian invasion was “completely ridiculous” and claimed: “We don’t want war and we don’t need it at all.”

Thousands of Ukrainian civilians join the Territorial Forces to fight alongside 250,000 regular soldiers to defend their country. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said there were “no plans” to deploy NATO combat troops to Ukraine.

He noted that there was “a difference” between being a full member of NATO, with a mutual defense obligation between countries, and a “strong and highly valued partner” like Ukraine.

Russia’s military buildup near Ukraine has extended to include blood supplies as well as other medical materials that would allow it to treat the wounded, in another key indicator of Moscow’s military readiness, officials said. to Reuters three American officials.

Current and former US officials say concrete indicators – like blood supplies – are key to determining whether Moscow would be ready to lead an invasion, should Russian President Vladimir Putin decide to do so.

The Pentagon has previously acknowledged the deployment of “medical support” as part of Russia’s hardening. But disclosing blood supplies adds a level of detail that experts say is key to determining Russian military readiness.

“It doesn’t guarantee there will be another attack, but you won’t execute another attack unless you have it in hand,” said Ben Hodges, a retired US lieutenant general now in the research institute Center for European Policy Analysis.

Amid rising geopolitical tensions, the Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that three staff members will be dispatched to South Korea’s embassy in Ukraine to create emergency preparedness for the Korean people in the country.

The decision was taken after Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong virtually met with the heads of South Korean diplomatic missions in Russia, Ukraine and other countries the day before, amid growing tensions between Moscow and Kyiv. .

The Korean Embassy in Ukraine also intends to hold discussions with Korean citizens and businesses, as well as update information on modes of transportation and land evacuation routes on its website. South Koreans in Ukraine have been encouraged to flee to safer areas in the near future, but international flights continue to operate normally from seven airports in six cities.

About 440 Koreans currently reside in Ukraine, most of them based in Kyiv, the capital, and other cities in the interior of the country. The ministry encouraged Korean nationals in 15 regions of southern, eastern and northern Ukraine to leave the country as soon as possible due to the growing possibility of a Russian military intervention earlier this week.

South Korean police launch new sexual harassment and crime investigation teams

Pakistan calls India’s nuclear proliferation claims “dubious”.

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As the Ukraine crisis deepens, Russia and the West are gearing up for a second round of high-stakes security talks.

US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan delivered Washington’s written response to Russia’s security demands to Moscow. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the response, which was presented to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, “establishes a serious diplomatic path, if Russia chooses it.” The response was reportedly shared with Kiev, America’s European allies and Congress. Washington asked Russia that the contents of the document not be made public, Blinken adding that “diplomacy has the best chance of succeeding if we provide space for confidential talks.” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would honor Washington’s request, but added that the Kremlin reserved the right to communicate the “essence” of the response to the Russian public. Lavrov then expressed his disappointment with the response, saying on Thursday that there “is no positive reaction” on the “main issue” of security requirements issued by the Kremlin in December. “The main problem is our clear position on the inadmissibility of further NATO expansion in the east and the deployment of strike weapons that could threaten the territory of the Russian Federation,” he said. precise.

Lavrov called on the West to heed what he described as agreements signed under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). “We present non-verbal promises, written documents signed by the leaders of all OSCE countries, including the President of the United States (Istanbul Declaration 1999, Astana Declaration 2010), our partners Westerners must come out of a more serious situation. situation,” he said. “This principle is clearly stated. It has two main interrelated approaches. First, the right of each state to freely choose military alliances is recognized. Second: the obligation of each State not to strengthen its security to the detriment of the security of others. In other words, the right to choose alliances is clearly conditioned by the need to take into account the security interests of any other OSCE state, including the Russian Federation.

Lavrov, who previously appeared to downplay the importance of the OSCE as a place for productive dialogue, added that Moscow intended to pressure its Western counterparts for concrete answers regarding the Kremlin’s interpretation of the documents. precedents of the OSCE.

Western officials have consistently said that the alliance’s “open door” policy for potential members, including Ukraine and Georgia, remains non-negotiable. During bilateral talks in Geneva earlier this month, US Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman rejected Russia’s request for legally binding assurances that Ukraine will never join NATO as a “non-starter”. “.

Although Washington supports proposals to bolster NATO’s military presence on the alliance’s eastern flank, the Biden administration has said it has ruled out direct US military intervention in response to a Russian invasion of Israel. Ukraine. The move reflects American public opinion – according to a recent Convention of States Action (COSA) poll with the Trafalgar Group, less than one in six Americans, or 15.3%, support putting American boots on. the ground in the event of an invasion of Ukraine scenario. In stark contrast, a survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that up to 52% of Americans support the use of US troops to defend Taiwan against a possible Chinese attack.

Beijing weighed in on the Ukraine crisis earlier this week, offering its strongest statement of support yet for Russia’s diplomatic stance. In a phone call with Blinken, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said “Russia’s reasonable security concerns should be taken seriously and addressed,” adding that Beijing fully supports the implementation of the Minsk agreements, a framework for the reincorporation of the pro-Russian opposition. People’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk as a de facto autonomous region.

As the two sides prepare for a second round of security talks, Washington continues to sound the alarm over a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. The situation in Eastern Europe is “now at a stage where Russia could launch an attack in Ukraine at any time,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday. But Kiev has started to strike a different tone, with senior Ukrainian officials now saying a Russian attack is not imminent. “I don’t consider the situation any more tense than before,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. “There is a feeling abroad that there is war here. There is not.”

The growing divergence in rhetoric between Kiev and Washington came to a head in a recent phone call between Biden and Zelensky that a senior Ukrainian official reportedly said, “did not go well.” Ukrainian President urged his counterpart to “calm the messages,” telling Biden that Ukraine’s continued state of emergency is wreaking havoc on his country’s economy and public morale. According to an account of the phone call by CNN, Zelensky expressed hope for a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis. The Ukrainian official told CNN Biden disagreed, telling Zelensky that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is now a virtual certainty once the ground freezes later in February. The White House disputed CNN’s account, with National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne accusing the CNN source of “spreading lies.”

The points allegedly raised in the Biden-Zelensky appeal are the clearest illustration yet of what appears to be a growing rift between Kyiv and Washington in assessing the Ukraine crisis. At a press conference the following day, Zelensky again urged Western leaders to moderate their rhetoric. “They say tomorrow is war. It means panic,” he said. “I’m the president of Ukraine, I’m based here, and I think I know the details more deeply than any other president,” Zelensky added. The Ukrainian president reiterated that he intended to press the West for concrete answers regarding Ukraine’s NATO membership prospects. At a press conference earlier this month, Biden suggested that Ukraine will not join the alliance anytime soon. Zelensky denied any “misunderstanding” between him and Biden, but cryptically noted that he may be hiding some information from Washington. “I think as the president of a sovereign country, I can have my own secrets, just like the American president.”

Mark Episkopos is a national security reporter for the National interest.

Picture: Reuters.

KYIV, Ukraine — With the Pentagon warning of continued Russian troop buildups and a possible imminent invasion of Ukraine, that country’s leader on Friday warned against talking about war, even as a diplomatic scramble to ease the impasse continued with no sign of a breakthrough. .

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the security situation surrounding his country – where intelligence officials estimate 130,000 Russian troops have massed near the borders, including north of the capital, Kyiv – was not much different from that of last year around the same time and, while dangerous, did not necessarily mean that war was imminent or inevitable.

A day after speaking by telephone with President Biden, who reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to respond forcefully to a Russian attack, Mr. Zelensky emphasized at a press conference that he and the President Americans did not disagree on the seriousness of the Russian threat, but differed in the tone of their public comments on it.

He noted that in the past, Russia had used military buildup as a scare tactic.

“We have no misunderstandings with the president, but I deeply understand what is happening in my country, just as he understands what is happening in his country,” Mr. Zelensky said of Mr. Biden. The drumbeats of war, he added, could contribute to domestic instability and economic turmoil that would increase the risk posed by Russia.

Mr Zelensky has challenged decisions by the United States and Britain to withdraw non-essential diplomatic personnel from Ukraine, which he says sets an unduly alarming tone. “I think it was a mistake,” he said, adding that “in these circumstances everyone is essential.”

“I don’t think we have the Titanic here,” he said.

The United States has been more outspoken than many European countries about the threat of a Russian attack, even as the Biden administration has tried to project a unified front with NATO allies.

The Pentagon said that in the past 24 hours more Russian forces had been moved into the area. Although US officials do not believe Russian President Vladimir V. Putin has decided to launch an invasion, President Biden still believes there is “a distinct possibility” that Russia could do so in February Emily Horne, door -spokesman of the National Security Council, said Thursday.

It is this kind of delay that Mr. Zelensky has most strongly rejected.

“We have to be very careful how we speak every day, every minute, when we try to say war will happen tomorrow,” Mr Zelensky said. “We are preparing for any scenario and we have several,” he said.

“I think it has to be silent military preparation and silent diplomacy,” he added.

“It’s not like we’re acting like it’s the highest threat level,” he said. The mere fact that tens of thousands of Russian troops were on the border was itself a risk, along with the danger of a mistake or provocation spiraling out of control.

As Ukrainian soldiers dug trenches along the snow-covered eastern front, children sledding in the capital, Kyiv. Most people were going about their daily business.

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by videoconference Friday with Mr Putin, and despite Mr Macron’s plea for a somewhat conciliatory approach to Moscow, the Kremlin said in a statement afterwards that “the main concerns of Russia have not been dealt with”.

Still, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei V. Lavrov has signaled there could be a window for negotiation with the United States on limited security issues in Europe, including missile deployments and military exercises. . Speaking in a Russian radio interview on Friday, Lavrov said Washington’s written response this week to requests for Russian security guarantees contained “a kernel of rationality” on some issues.

Asked what he thinks of Mr. Putin’s intentions, Mr. Zelensky replied that the actions of the Russians speak for themselves.

“Why do you need so many soldiers?” Why do you need so many exercises so often? ” He asked. “It is indeed dangerous.”

The Russian actions are a form of “sado-masochism”, he said. “It’s just brutal cynicism.”

Russia demanded a withdrawal of NATO forces from Eastern Europe, allowing Moscow to reassert a sphere of influence resembling the one it had until the 1990s. United States and its Western allies.

Western officials say Russia’s often contradictory public statements do not square with the actions it has taken to threaten Ukraine.

The United States and NATO allies have placed troops on high alert and stepped up arms deliveries to Ukraine, but Mr. Biden, who has not spoken to Mr. Putin for a A tense “virtual summit” in early December said he did not plan to send more US troops to Ukraine.

The Biden administration convened a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Monday, which could lead to a face-to-face debate on Ukraine between the United States and Russia.

Michael Schwirtz reported from Kiev, Andrew E. Kramer from Kramatorsk, Ukraine and Bengali Shashankand Marc Santora from London.

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States and Germany warned Russia on Thursday (January 27th) that a major gas pipeline would be at stake if it invaded Ukraine, as Washington expressed hope for a diplomatic outcome despite the icy statements from Moscow.

A day after the United States and its allies formally responded to security demands issued by Russia, senior officials in Moscow said their main concerns had not been addressed, but notably did not rule out new discussions.

The United States has warned Russia of swift and severe consequences if it invades Ukraine after Moscow mustered tens of thousands of troops on the border with its Western-leaning neighbor.

Following Western concerns over divisions within Europe, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told parliament her government was ‘working on a tough sanctions package’ alongside allies that would include Nord Stream. 2. The pipeline, which Germany defiantly built despite criticism from the United States and Eastern European countries, will more than double Russia’s natural gas supply to Europe’s largest economy. Europe.

In Washington, a senior official said he believed an invasion would prevent Germany from activating the multibillion-dollar project, which was completed in September but still requires testing and regulatory approval.

“If Russia invades Ukraine, one way or another, Nord Stream 2 will not move forward,” said Victoria Nuland, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs. “I think the statements coming out of Berlin today are still very, very strong,” she told reporters.

The White House also announced that Germany’s new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, will visit Feb. 7 to discuss “Russian aggression against Ukraine” with President Joe Biden. Mr Biden also spoke by phone on Thursday with Volodymyr Zelensky, whose government the previous day engaged in marathon talks in Paris with Russia with the separate aim of reducing tensions.

Mr. Zelensky then tweeted that he and Mr. Biden had discussed de-escalation efforts and joint actions for the future, as well as potential US financial support for Ukraine after hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid. NATO has put 8,500 troops on standby over the Ukraine crisis, in scenes reminiscent of the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

“One Decision Maker”

Russia denies any invasion plans but last month demanded broad security guarantees from the West, including that Ukraine never be allowed to join the state-led NATO military alliance -United. Washington delivered a response on Wednesday in coordination with NATO allies, saying Ukraine had the right to determine its own allies but offering Russia talks on missile placements and other mutual concerns.

In its first reaction to the response, the Kremlin was unimpressed but cautious. “You can’t say that our opinions were taken into account,” President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “Let’s not rush into assessments, it takes time to analyze,” he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow’s main concern – the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO – had been ignored, but that it would be possible to move forward on other issues. “There is a response that gives hope for the start of a serious conversation on secondary issues,” Lavrov said.

Ms Nuland joked that the most important conclusion from the Russian response is that Mr Putin has the documents. “There is only one decision maker in Moscow and that is President Putin,” Ms Nuland said. “We hope he sees here a real opportunity for a legacy of security and arms control rather than a legacy of war,” she said. “The ball is in their court.”