President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday didn’t rule out a full-blown conflict with Russia however stated Ukraine used to be now not a sinking Titanic and accused Washington and media of fuelling panic that weighed at the economic system whilst there have been “no tanks within the streets”.
He spoke after Russian President Vladimir Putin stated the US and NATO had now not addressed https://www.reuters.com/international/europe/we-dont-want-wars-russia-sends-less-hawkish-message-ukraine-2022-01-28 the Kremlin’s primary safety calls for within the East-West standoff over Ukraine, however that Moscow used to be able to stay speaking.
Talking at a information convention for overseas media, Zelenskiy stated: “There aren’t any tanks within the streets. However media give the affect, if one isn’t right here, that we’ve got a conflict, that we’ve got military within the streets… That is not the case. We are not looking for this panic.”
“I do not imagine the location now extra hectic than ahead of,” he stated, however added: “It’s not that i am pronouncing an escalation isn’t conceivable.”
He stated the White Area used to be creating a “mistake” in highlighting excessively the chance of a large-scale conflict, and that this used to be the message he gave U.S. President Joe Biden of their telephone name on Thursday.
Whilst he stated Russia used to be seeking to intimidate and destabilise Ukraine, Kyiv used to be propping up its hryvnia forex with FX reserves, in addition to looking for army, political and financial reinforce from the West.
He stated the rustic wanted 4-5 billion bucks to stabilise its economic system, together with thru overseas investments, welcoming a 1.2 billion euros help bundle from the Eu Union.
“NO TITANIC”
Zelenskiy stated Russia must end up that it used to be now not looking for a conflict with Ukraine by way of agreeing to an trade of prisoners. However he stated probably the most fast chance for his nation used to be chaos inside of, from cyber assaults to an financial disaster.
U.S. and British strikes to recall diplomats have been a mistake and an exaggeration, he stated: “We aren’t any Titanic. Ukraine is transferring forward.”
He stated NATO used to be the one guarantor of laborious safety Ukraine had in its stand-off with Russia, caution that the army alliance’s japanese individuals may also be uncovered to adverse techniques by way of Moscow.
“It is a very severe problem for NATO. Some Eu international locations suppose: let’s now not chance, let’s now not take Ukraine in. However, if a full-blown conflict begins, it’ll additionally happen at the borders of a few NATO international locations.”
“If there may be main conflict, it’ll be now not best towards Ukraine, now not best at the territory of our nation,” he stated.
He criticised Germany for pursuing the Nord Circulate 2 fuel pipeline, accusing it of prioritising trade offers with Russia over Ukraine’s safety and territorial integrity.
He additionally named Britain amongst international locations permitting cash laundering by way of Russians, in addition to by way of oligarchs siphoning cash from international locations together with Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
(Reporting by way of Pavel Polityuk, Natalia Zinets; writing by way of Gabriela Baczynska; enhancing by way of Angus MacSwan, Raissa Kasolowsky and Philippa Fletcher).
