Tension is rising in Ukraine. While 120,000 Russian soldiers are concentrated on the border with Ukraine, the crisis has erupted in the last few hours. The United States, which fears a Russian invasion in the coming days, has called on its nationals to leave Ukraine, as have the United Kingdom and the European Union. Emmanuel Macron and Joe Biden will speak with Vladimir Putin on Saturday to try to find a way out of the crisis. Throwback to this electric night.
7:30 p.m.: The European Union warns Russia against “drastic sanctions” in case of invasion
European leaders unite. “The allies are determined to jointly take swift and drastic sanctions against Russia in the event of further violations of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” German Chancellor’s spokesman Olaf Scholz tweeted at the end of a meeting between Western leaders. including US President Joe Biden and Head of State Emmanuel Macron.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, reaffirms “the fact that all options were on the table and that the sanctions would affect the financial and energy sectors, as well as exports of high-tech products.”
7:40 p.m.: The United Kingdom asks its nationals to leave Ukraine and is concerned “for the security of Europe”
“We urge British citizens in Ukraine to leave immediately by commercial means while they are available,” launches the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who assures that “the safety of British citizens” is the “absolute priority” of the authorities.
At the same time, Boris Johnson makes a meaningful confession. “The prime minister told the group that he feared for the security of Europe in the current circumstances,” his spokesman conceded after a meeting between Boris Johnson and the leaders of the United States, Italy, Poland, Romania, France, Germany, the European Union. Council, the European Commission and NATO.
20:00: The United States fears an invasion of Ukraine during D0
A Russian invasion of Ukraine could “happen at any time,” including before the end of the Beijing Olympics scheduled for February 20, says White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, while Washington says Americans must leave Ukraine “within 24 to 48 hours”. .
The United States fears that the Russian invasion, seen as potentially imminent, will start with aerial bombardment and include “a quick assault” on Kiev. While Washington says Moscow hasn’t “made” any decisions, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan says Joe Biden is considering calling his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to try to dissuade him from invading Ukraine.
20:35: the Elysee announces that Macron will speak with Putin
As tension mounts in Ukraine, the Elysee announces that the head of state will speak to Vladimir Putin on Saturday at noon. The Elysee explains that Westerners want to resolve the conflict by “diplomatic means, dialogue and dissuasion.” This new exchange comes just days after the meeting between the two presidents in Moscow on Monday.
9:30 p.m.: EU recommends non-essential staff leave Ukraine
Following the US and British statements, the European Union asks its non-essential personnel to leave Ukraine. “Non-essential personnel have the possibility of teleworking from outside the country,” specifies Peter Stano, spokesman for the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell. This call is not an “evacuation”, reminds the EU, which evaluates the situation hour by hour.
22:20: Biden and Putin will speak on Saturday, announces the White House
Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin “will speak on Saturday morning” in US East Coast time, a senior White House official says. “Russia offered a phone call on Monday. So we proposed Saturday and they accepted, ”he explains. This call will come the day after a first exchange, on Friday night, between the US and Russian chiefs of staff, who “discussed various issues of concern in terms of security.”
11:20 p.m.: Blinken reaffirms “firm” US support for Kiev
The head of US diplomacy assured his Ukrainian counterpart that his country continued to “benefit from the enduring and unwavering support of the United States for its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he informed his services in a press release. In his appeal to the Ukrainian minister, Antony Blinken stressed that “any Russian aggression” would cause “rapid, serious and unitary consequences” on the part of Westerners.
Washington has increased its “defensive” military support for the Ukrainian army in recent months. But President Joe Biden made it clear again Thursday that he would not send US troops on the ground in Ukraine, even to evacuate Americans in the event of a Russian invasion, because that could turn into “a world war.”
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