By: Nina Žoher / Nova24tv
The eyes of the world are on Russia, as there is a real danger of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, judging by the build-up of Russian troops along the Ukrainian border. The U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Russian forces are now in a position from which they can carry out a major military operation. Slovenia is also worried about what is happening, said Prime Minister Janez Janša, who spoke with the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, on Saturday.
“Slovenia is monitoring the concentration of Russian troops on the border of Ukraine with concern,” Prime Minister Janez Janša pointed out, adding that he has spoken with the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, over the phone on Saturday morning, and expressed support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the right of each country to choose its own alliances.
Janša will visit Ukraine before the end of the month
Janša also revealed that during the conversation with Shmyhal, he agreed to visit Ukraine before the end of this month. “By supporting Ukraine, the European Union and NATO are not only defending a friendly country, but also the very foundations on which both of these alliances are built,” the Slovenian Prime Minister emphasised. According to Janša, the very threat of the use of force by Kremlin is causing great economic damage to Ukraine and beyond, so de-escalation of the situation is needed immediately.
Due to the tensions, the EU member states approved financial aid for Ukraine in the amount of 1.2 billion euros. The Council of the European Union said that the goal was to provide support in an acute crisis situation and strengthen Ukraine’s resilience. “The EU stands by Ukraine, economically, as well as in other ways. Current geopolitical tensions have had a major impact on Ukraine’s economy. The member states are ready to provide 1.2 billion euros in macro-financial assistance,” the French Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, said, according to the reports by the Slovenian Press Agency. It is now up to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union to approve the European Commission’s proposal before it enters into force.
Russia is withdrawing some of its diplomatic staff from Ukraine
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday that Russia is withdrawing some of its diplomatic staff from Ukraine. The possibility of “provocations” by Kiev or other countries is said to be the reason for this decision. “Due to the possible provocations of the regime in Kiev, or provocations of the other countries, we have actually decided to optimise the staff at the Russian embassy in Ukraine,” Zakharova said.
The U.S. warnings of an imminent Russian attack on Ukraine are causing panic and not helping the Ukrainians, said the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, calling for solid evidence on the claim of imminent invasion. “If anyone has any additional information about the invasion, which is expected to take place on the 16th of February, we ask you to please inform the Ukrainian government,” he added.
