Ukraine conflict: Joe Biden's statements cause irritation

Created: 2022-01-20Updated: 2022-01-20 06:44

By: Katja Thorwarth, Delia Friess

Germany does not want to deliver weapons to Ukraine.

The US does, says Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in Kiev.

Statements by Joe Biden meanwhile cause irritation.

• The conflict between Ukraine and Russia* is still smoldering.

  So far neither side is ready for concessions.

• Russia is strengthening its troops near the border with Ukraine.

  In addition, President Vladimir Putin* is sending units to neighboring Belarus.

• The USA* are seriously concerned.

  Joe Biden* threatens sanctions against Russia.

Update from Thursday, January 20th, 2022, 6:32 a.m .:

US President Joe Biden has caused irritation with statements about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. At a press conference in the White House on Wednesday (01/19/2022, local time), the US Democrat seemed to indicate that the threat of NATO sanctions could depend on the extent of a potential Russian invasion. "It's one thing when it's a minor intrusion," Biden said. "But if they actually do what they are able to do with the forces gathered at the border, it will be catastrophic for Russia."

The US broadcaster CNN quoted an unnamed Ukrainian government official as saying he was "shocked that US President Biden distinguished between intrusion and invasion". This gives Russian President Vladimir Putin "the green light to invade Ukraine at will". Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he was "stunned" by Biden's statement.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki sought clarification shortly after Biden's appearance.

"President Biden has made it clear to the Russian President that if Russian forces move across the Ukrainian border, it will be another invasion, and the United States and our allies will respond quickly, harshly, and as one," Psaki said.

However, the US President knows that Russia has "an extensive range of instruments for aggression" below the threshold of military action - for example cyber attacks and paramilitary tactics.

Biden has reiterated that even such aggression by Russians “will be met with a resolute, mutual, and collective response.”

US President Joe Biden has caused irritation with statements about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine.

© Susan Walsh/dpa

President of Ukraine speaks in video message about the danger of the Russian invasion

+++ 9:00 p.m .:

Volodymyr Selenskyj, President of Ukraine, has expressed reservations about the risk of Russia invading his country. "The risks have not existed for a day and they have not increased," Zelenskyj said in a speech on Wednesday evening. "The only thing that has gotten bigger is the hype surrounding her," Zelenskyj continued. Wasn't there an invasion in 2014, asked the Ukrainian president, alluding to Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. "Now it is not our country that is being actively attacked, but your nerves are being attacked, so that you have a constant feeling of alarm," the head of state of Ukraine said to the people of Ukraine.

Ukrainians should refrain from buying hamsters and withdrawing cash in a hurry, Zelenskyj advised.

Rather, the aim is to weaken Ukraine's economy so that the Ukrainian "no" on certain issues becomes weaker, according to Zelenskyj, which he expressed in the video message.

He appealed: "To the media: be a means of mass information and not mass hysteria."

Zelenskyj recently met with Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State under the administration of US President Joe Biden, who is expected in Berlin on Thursday for talks on the Ukraine conflict.

On January 21, the Democrat* Blinken also wants to meet the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for talks in Geneva.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left), President of Ukraine, welcomes Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, to their meeting at Bankova in Kiev on the occasion of the corona pandemic.

© Alex Brandon/dpa

Ukraine conflict: US supplies weapons against "aggressive intentions" of Russia

+++ 3.35 p.m .:

As a guest in Kiev, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken turns his words towards Moscow.

Vladimir Putin's government is displaying "cynical behavior" and endangering Ukraine's security.

Blinken confirmed that the US had already been supplying “defense systems” to Ukraine in the past few weeks.

These are primarily weapons to ward off foreign troops in the event of a border conflict.

"Should Russia continue its aggressive intentions and invade Ukraine, we will provide further material," Blinken said.

Dmytro Kuleba also praised the relations between Kiev and Washington.

They work closely together on defense "to deter Russia".

Anthony Blinken visiting Ukraine.

The US Secretary of State will then travel to Moscow.

© Alex Brandon/dpa

+++ 2.15 p.m .:

The situation of the negotiations with Russia is still uncertain. According to

Chancellor Olaf Scholz

(SPD

), the federal government has been conducting "intensive talks" with Russia about the Ukraine crisis since the beginning of January. In a video conference at the World Economic Forum, Scholz said it "cannot be said with certainty whether they can contribute to de-escalating the situation". Russia created this situation by "concentrating 100,000 soldiers on the border with Ukraine".

"After years of growing tensions", however, silence is "no longer a sensible option", Scholz continued.

That is why the federal government is talking to the leadership in Moscow in “different formats”.

It is about both the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the basic principle of the European peace order.

Ukraine conflict: Russia's troop build-up "almost complete"

+++ 12.19 p.m .:

The situation at the border is getting worse and worse.

According to information from Ukraine, Russia has "almost completed" the build-up of its troops near the Ukrainian border.

This is reported by the US news channel CNN, referring to information from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

Accordingly, Russian President Vladimir Putin has already ordered more than 127,000 soldiers to the border with Ukraine - including more than 100,000 infantry units.

Since December, Russian units near the border have been stocking up on their ammunition stores.

Field hospitals would also be set up.

Ukraine conflict: USA expects "an attack at any time" - Great Britain warns Russia

+++ 11.10 a.m .:

Britain* has emphatically warned Russia of a war in Ukraine.

The first industrialized, digitized war between two cutting-edge armies in Europe in generations may be just weeks away, James Heappey, Secretary of State at Britain's Defense Ministry, told Times Radio on Wednesday.

"This is not something that should be considered bloodless in Moscow.

This is not something for the rest of the world to stand by and ignore," Heappey said.

"Tens of thousands of people could die."

The build-up of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine has been visible on satellite images since last November.

© Handouts/afp

Heappy said it was right to exhaust all diplomatic avenues.

"I just hope that now that we are on the verge of the abyss, the people of Moscow will start considering that thousands will die.

That's something nobody should be remotely relaxed about," the conservative politician stressed.

At the same time, he stressed that it was not " remotely realistic" that British soldiers would fight against Russian troops.

Update from January 19, 2022, 9:40 a.m.:

The USA declared on Tuesday (January 18, 2022) that Russia was ready to attack Ukraine “at any time”, and in the run-up to a meeting between top American and Russian diplomats, it was what the White House believed threatening situation alert.

The White House had repeatedly warned of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“To be clear, we consider the situation to be extremely dangerous.

We are now at a stage where Russia could launch an attack on Ukraine at any time," Presidential spokeswoman Jen Psaki* said in Washington.

Blinken has promised Ukraine further military support and wants to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Kiev.

US wants to help Ukraine with weapons

"Should Russia invade Ukraine further in the coming weeks, we will provide the Ukrainians with additional defense materials beyond what we are already providing," the US State Department said.

In view of the Russian troop deployment to Belarus, a warning was also issued to Moscow and Minsk: "Complicity" by the Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko in such an attack would be "completely unacceptable".

Arms deliveries: Ukraine accuses Germany of lacking tact

First report from January 19th, 2022, 7.45 a.m .:

Berlin/Kiev – In view of the threat of a Russian invasion, Ukraine is not giving up even after the federal government’s clear no to arms deliveries. The Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin is now even naming concrete weapon systems that his country is hoping for from Germany to defend against a possible Russian attack. "It's primarily about German warships, which are among the best in the world, which we urgently need for the robust defense of the long coast in the Black and Azov Seas," Ambassador Andriy Melnyk told dpa. "There is the same huge demand for the most modern air defense systems, which are currently being produced by German armaments companies."

For years Ukraine has been demanding arms deliveries from Germany in order to be able to defend itself against a possible attack from Russia - so far without success.

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz* (SPD) gave Kiev a clear rejection on Tuesday (01/18/2022).

“The German federal government has been pursuing a similar strategy on this issue for many years.

And that also means that we don't export lethal weapons," said Scholz.

"That has not changed with the change of government that took place in December last year."

Ukraine conflict: Traffic light government does not want arms delivery

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens)* also rejected the request on Monday during her visit to Kiev.

The attitude towards arms deliveries and a restrictive arms export policy is also based on German history.

Melnyk was irritated by this justification.

"The fact that the question of historical responsibility is also used in Berlin as an argument for rejecting military aid is astonishing," he said.

"This responsibility should apply to the Ukrainian people, who lost at least eight million lives during the German Nazi occupation of Ukraine." It is a pity "that German society still has no tact on this issue".

Ukraine conflict: US Secretary of State arrives in Kiev

Meanwhile, against the background of an imminent escalation, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Kiev.

Blinken landed in the Ukrainian capital* on Wednesday morning, according to reporters from the AFP news agency.

He will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy there and will also hold talks with the country's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba.

(ktho/dpa/afp)