Ukraine conflict: USA leaves aircraft carrier in Mediterranean

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"Harry S. Truman": The US aircraft carrier remains permanently in the Mediterranean

Photo: Randall Greenwell / AP

Russia's threatening gestures on the border with Ukraine worries NATO.

In view of the tense situation, the US has now decided to leave an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean.

According to an official on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the aircraft carrier "Harry S. Truman" not to proceed to the Middle East as planned.

The "change in the timetable reflects the need for a permanent presence in Europe and is necessary to reassure our allies and partners of our commitment to collective defense," the official said.

For some time now, the West has been concerned about a massive Russian troop deployment on the border with Ukraine.

There are fears that Moscow might attack the neighboring country.

Russia denies any plans to attack, rejects criticism of the troop movements and, for its part, accuses Kiev and NATO of "provocations".

Russia and the USA will discuss the Ukraine conflict on January 10th

Moscow and Washington have now agreed on a meeting for the coming year.

On January 10th, representatives of both countries want to speak about the Ukraine crisis.

The EU foreign affairs representative Josep Borrell is pushing for the EU to participate in the deliberations.

"If Moscow, as announced, wants to talk about the security architecture in Europe and security guarantees from January, then that is not just a matter that concerns America and Russia," Borrell told the "world".

The EU must be part of these negotiations.

"We don't want to be an uninvolved audience, whose heads are decided," emphasized Borrell.

He described it as "absurd" that Russia wanted to negotiate the European security architecture without the involvement of the EU.

“We won't accept that.

Nothing is decided about us without our being there. "

US Government Assures Allies of Transparency

The US government has assured its allies in Europe transparency and solidarity with a view to the planned talks.

The US State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Tuesday that the talks were intended to achieve “common goals”.

The principle with regard to the allies is: "Nothing about them without them."

The exchange with Russia as part of the strategic security dialogue is a bilateral format, Price said.

In the past, the allies were "always fully and thoroughly informed".

There was agreement on a "principled diplomacy" with Russia.

Russia's ambassador warns of arms deliveries to Ukraine

In Germany, demands for arms deliveries to Ukraine are being raised in the face of tensions.

The Russian ambassador in Berlin, Sergei Nechayev, has now sharply criticized this.

“From our point of view, the military development of Ukraine is absolutely harmful and out of place.

All steps in this direction would be counterproductive, ”he told the dpa news agency.

Shortly before Christmas, in view of the Russian troop deployment on the border with Ukraine, the designated CDU chairman Friedrich Merz pleaded for considering the delivery of weapons for self-defense to the government in Kiev.

Before the general election, Green leader Robert Habeck had already advocated armaments aid for Ukraine.

Nechayev said: "These considerations are still proof that Russia needs security guarantees, and we are demanding these security guarantees in a form that is anchored in international law."

asc / dpa / AFP