Vladimir Putin informed Russia's high safety officers that Moscow has "accomplished all we might utilizing peaceable means to resolve all of the variations" in Ukraine, throughout an unscheduled Safety Council assembly as fears proceed to develop of a Moscow-led invasion of Ukraine.
In his opening remarks on Monday, the Russian president mentioned Kyiv had proven "no intention to implement" Russia's Minsk Accords, which prevented the usage of heavy weapons between Ukraine and Russia-backed insurgents in jap Ukraine.
Russia has repeatedly claimed Ukrainian forces have fired on Russian army ouposts close to the border, though worldwide journalists on the entrance traces with these forces haven't verified these claims.
"Russia remains to be making makes an attempt to resolve all these problems, all these tragic occasions, with peaceable means. However now we have what now we have," mentioned Putin, who nonetheless has cellphone calls with Western leaders scheduled this week.
Russian-backed enclaves—"Donetsk Individuals's Republic" (DNR) and "Lugansk Individuals's Republic" (LNR)—had requested Moscow "to acknowledge their sovereignty and their independence," Putin mentioned.
These issues, he mentioned, have been "intently associated to safety points on this planet," as he steered Western powers have been "utilizing Ukraine as a software of confrontation" that might be "a giant risk to Russia," which has demanded Ukraine not be allowed to hitch NATO.
On the assembly, Russia's spy chief, Sergey Naryshkin, requested Putin to not "rush the choice" concerning the Donbass, and to "give one other likelihood to our Western companions."
Putin requested Naryshkin to make clear his remark and communicate plainly, who responded: "I assist the inclusion of the DNR and the LNR into the Russian Federation
Putin riposted: "We're not discussing that, we're speaking about recognizing their independence."
Naryshkin replied: "I assist the transfer to acknowledge their independence."
Nonetheless, Putin additionally steered diplomacy, quite than preventing, was nonetheless Russia's choice.
"For us, it is our precedence for our nation—not a confrontation, however enhancing safety and offering needed situations to proceed to develop," he mentioned.
"If Russia goes to face this risk, like Ukraine becoming a member of NATO, then the risk to our nation will enhance tenfold, as there may be Article 5 of the treaty group, and it says that each one the allied international locations have to hitch the army actions on behalf of certainly one of its members if there may be aggression in opposition to its member."
Forward of the assembly, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry PeskovKremlin declined to verify whether or not the chief has agreed to carry a joint summit with U.S. President Joe Biden.
It comes after White Home Press Secretary Jen Psaki mentioned on Sunday evening that Biden has "accepted in precept" a assembly with Putin, however solely "if an invasion hasn't occurred."
"We're at all times prepared for diplomacy," mentioned Psaki. "We're additionally able to impose swift and extreme penalties ought to Russia as a substitute select struggle."
Peskov informed reporters that it is "too early to speak about concrete plans for organizing any summits."
Putin "additionally has a number of worldwide cellphone calls right this moment," he added.
"The scenario is de facto extraordinarily tense. There we see no indicators of a lower in stress. Provocations and shelling have gotten extra intense," claimed Peskov. "After all, that is of nice concern."
It comes as shelling within the breakaway Luhansk and Donetsk areas have intensified in current days, prompting separatist leaders to announce a mass evacuation of their residents.
Separatist leaders backed by Moscow within the Donetsk Individuals's Republic and its fellow breakaway Ukrainian enclave, the Luhansk Individuals's Republic, have claimed, with out proof, that Ukrainian armed forces might launch an assault on the separatist areas.
The Ukrainian authorities has pushed again in opposition to the allegations, whereas the Biden administration has warned that Russia could fabricate a "pretext" to justify an invasion of Ukraine.
On Friday, the Group for Safety and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mentioned the 2 self-proclaimed areas in jap Ukraine recorded greater than 1,400 explosions. One civilian died in Donetsk, it mentioned.
There have been 553 explosions in Donetsk, and 860 reported in Luhansk, in line with the OSCE's Particular Monitoring Mission, which is deployed within the battle zone.
Reporters on the bottom have but to search out any proof that Ukrainian armed forces are shelling residents in Luhansk and Donetsk.
Upwards of 61,000 residents from the Donbass area have been evacuated up to now to Russia's Rostov Oblast, Alexander Chupriyan, the performing head of the Russian Federation's Ministry of Emergency Conditions, informed reporters on Monday.
Replace 2/21/22, 11:51 a.m. ET: This text has been up to date with quotes from Russia's Safety Council assembly.
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