Tue 25 January 2022:
Russia was planning a “lightning war that could take out Kyiv” while adding that it ” would be a disastrous step”. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said amid tensions at the border with Ukraine,
As NATO opted to send more troops to eastern Europe, Western officials stated it was up to “Russia to take visible de-escalation initiatives.”
As the allies sought to put pressure on Putin’s government, US President Joe Biden conducted a video call with European leaders to discuss the increasing tensions with Russia.
Biden said he was in “total unanimity with all the European leaders” as leaders discussed “joint efforts” to thwart Russia’s moves against Ukraine.
As NATO announced the deployment of ships and fighter jets to eastern Europe, the leaders decided to inflict “massive consequences and severe economic costs.”
The Biden administration said it has put 8,500 troops on alert to be deployed at short notice amid large scale buildup of Russian troops at the Ukraine border.
Russia had reportedly deployed over 100,000 troops on the Ukraine border even as President Putin has rejected warnings from European nations that Russia was set to invade Ukraine. The Kremlin has maintained Russian troops have the right to move anywhere within their own territory.
“Russians have no intention of de-escalating right now,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said, citing intelligence sources.
Even as the UK and Australia ordered their diplomats to leave Ukraine after the US requested its diplomatic staff to depart and Russia accused NATO of “hysteria,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell urged for calm and stated that there should be no “nervous breakdown.”
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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