Amid growing escalation between Russia and the United States, Ukraine is trying to call for calm.
”You can sleep well,” says the Minister of Defense in Parliament.”
Sweden now advises against all non-essential travel to Ukraine.
Tens of thousands of Russian soldiers, according to some analysts as many as 100,000, have gathered on Russia's border with Ukraine, while the world is concerned that Russia will once again take military action against its neighboring country.
But Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said during a speech in parliament that he does not expect Russia to invade the country in the near future.
Reznikov says that ”at the moment there is no reason to believe” that Russia is preparing for an immediate invasion, adding that Russian forces have not formed a combat force capable of breaking through the border.
”"Don't worry, you can sleep well. There is no need to have your suitcases packed," Reznikov said, according to the AP news agency.
The statement comes the day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the situation was "under control.".
Meanwhile, the NATO military alliance is about to significantly strengthen its forces in Eastern Europe. The United States has placed 8,500 soldiers on high alert due to the unrest. The American troops are intended to be used to reinforce NATO's rapid reaction force if it were to be activated.
”"What it's about is re-assuring our NATO allies. It sends a clear signal to (Russian President) Putin that we take our commitments to NATO seriously," said John Kirby, a spokesman for the US Pentagon, at a press conference.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is on the same page and insists that the intention is not to increase tensions further.
”"What we are doing is defensive. What we are doing is very restrained compared to the significant Russian troop buildup that we are seeing," Stoltenberg said in an interview with TT and the Finnish news agency STT on Tuesday.
NATO forces are not being sent to Ukraine, but to NATO member states in the region. The aim is primarily to make Russia truly understand that NATO countries defend each other.
”"This is a way to preserve peace and avoid Russia making a miscalculation and believing that it is possible to use military force against NATO countries. Such a misconception would be dangerous," says Stoltenberg.
The NATO chief has had hectic days during the growing crisis, with countless meetings at the headquarters in Brussels. On Monday he received the foreign ministers of Finland and Sweden, Pekka Haavisto and Ann Linde (S). On Tuesday their French colleague Jean-Yves Le Drian stopped by and on Wednesday a visit from the British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace is expected.
On Wednesday, representatives of Russia and Ukraine will also meet in Paris, within the framework of the so-called "Normandy format", in which France and Germany also participate.
French President Emmanuel Macron "believes there is room for diplomacy, a path to de-escalation," one of his aides said, according to the AFP news agency.
The uncertain situation has prompted the US to urge its citizens not to travel to Russia and to avoid the border region between Russia and Ukraine. Both the US and the UK have also recalled some staff and family members of staff from their embassies in Ukraine.
Neither NATO, the EU nor Sweden has yet done anything similar. However, from the Swedish side, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against all non-essential travel to Ukraine as of Tuesday.
Source: TT
