UpdateRussian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his British counterpart Ben Wallace will hold talks in Moscow about the Ukrainian crisis. An employee of the British ministry announced this on Saturday. In the meantime, the United States sent military aid equipment to Ukraine during the night from Friday to Saturday. Germany does not intend to supply weapons, but a field hospital will be provided.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his British counterpart Ben Wallace will discuss the Ukrainian crisis in Moscow. An employee of the British ministry announced this on Saturday.
The call comes at the request of Wallace. “The defense minister is pleased that Russia has accepted the invitation for consultations,” it sounds in London. “Since the last bilateral meeting between our two countries took place in London in 2013, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has proposed to meet in Moscow.”
The British defense secretary wants to “explore all options for achieving stability and a solution to the crisis in Ukraine”, it was said. The practical details for the meeting are yet to be agreed.
US ammunition
A cargo plane carrying ammunition “for frontline defenders” has landed at an airport in Kiev, the US embassy in Ukraine said on Twitter. The embassy also published photos showing the cargo — some 90 tons in total — being unloaded from the plane. This “demonstrates the firm commitment of the United States to Ukraine’s sovereign right to self-defense,” it said.
The military aid was promised by US President Joe Biden. It is the intention that several deliveries will follow after this.
German field hospital
In an interview with Welt am Sonntag, German defense minister Christine Lambrecht says that Germany will deliver a fully equipped field hospital, including training, to Ukraine in February. Germany is allocating 5.3 million euros for this. Respirators are also already being supplied and Ukrainian soldiers who are seriously injured are already being treated in German army hospitals.
The German government must do everything in its power to defuse the crisis situation, it sounds. “Arms deliveries are not helping with that at the moment. That is the government’s consensus,” said the Defense Minister.
Germany does not intend to commission the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline — which is to carry gas from Russia to Germany — in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. “The idea that a war could break out in the middle of Europe started by Russia and at the same time establish economic ties is completely unthinkable,” Lambrecht said.
Western support for Ukraine
Several other European countries have already promised to supply arms to Ukraine. For example, the Baltic states are sending anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles. Czech Republic supplies artillery shells.
In contrast to Germany, the Netherlands is also sympathetic to the supply of defensive weapons to Ukraine. Minister Wopke Hoekstra (Foreign Affairs) announced this on Thursday. A few months ago, the Dutch government did not want to do that. It is unknown what equipment the Ukrainians have requested.
Tensions between Russia and the West have been running high over the conflict in Ukraine. A civil war has been raging in the east of the country since 2014. Russia has been trying to place many troops close to the Ukrainian border since late last year. NATO countries fear a Russian invasion.
What do Flemish people in Ukraine think about the tensions? “You can feel that there is something in the air, but they don’t panic quickly here” (+)
Lavrov and Blinken talks ended without agreement on Ukraine crisis – Lavrov calls for an end to “anti-Russian hysteria”
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