(Bloomberg) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kremlin will respond to any “aggressive” action by the U.S. as an ally of President Vladimir Putin proposed shipping weapons to separatists.
Top political advisers from Russia and Ukraine, and their counterparts from Berlin and Paris, are meanwhile holding talks in the French capital on Wednesday to seek a peaceful resolution of tensions. Elsewhere, a group of top Italian business leaders went ahead with a virtual meeting with Putin despite an appeal to scrap it from the government in Rome.
Russia has denied it intends to invade Ukraine, despite massing thousands of troops, tanks and equipment near its neighbor’s eastern border. The Kremlin has demanded concessions from NATO, including a guarantee the alliance won’t add Ukraine as a member and a rollback of forces from former Soviet states.
Key Developments:
- ECB’s Simkus warns of major economic risk for Europe
- Putin at risk of personal sanctions, U.S. president says
- Qatar’s ruler to visit Biden to discuss energy supplies
- Germany sought energy exemption in finance sanctions
All times CET.
Russia Should Send Arms to Separatists, Putin’s Party Says (12:26 p.m.)
In a signal that Russia may escalate tensions, a top official of the ruling United Russia party said the Kremlin should supply “certain kinds of arms” to the separatists in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region to deter any attempt by Kyiv to retake the territories
Citing what he called NATO moves to arm Ukraine and continuing shelling and civilian casualties, Andrey Turchak, who is also first deputy speaker of the upper house of parliament, said Russia must respond by supplying weapons.
“We must stop the Kyiv regime,” Turchak, a Putin ally, said. Ukraine has said it has no plans to retake the territories by force.
Ukraine Reiterates Doubts Over Invasion (11:30 a.m.)
While he described Russia’s military buildup as a “direct threat” to the country, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba echoed comments from senior officials that a broad military invasion is not imminent.
“At the moment, this number is insufficient for a full-scale offensive against Ukraine along the entire Ukrainian border,” Kuleba told reporters in Kyiv.
Italian CEOs Ignore Appeal Not to Meet Putin (11:15 a.m.)
Enel SpA Chief Executive Officer Francesco Starace is among those participating in the meeting with Putin, organized by the Italy-Russia Chamber of Commerce and aimed at promoting “further development of commercial, economic and industrial ties.”
”I’m very glad to have the chance to meet with you,” Putin said in televised comments. “We can say with satisfaction that our countries have managed to maintain cooperation on the economic track at a rather high level,” he added.
Lavrov Slams ‘Provocative’ Military Drills (11 a.m.)
Lavrov told lawmakers in Moscow that the U.S. and Europe are stepping up pressure on Russia, including “provocative” military exercises near its borders and efforts to draw Ukraine into NATO’s orbit.
Russia hopes for a “constructive” response from Washington and its allies to its security proposals, but will respond if they pursue their “aggressive policy,” Lavrov said.
German Lawmaker Attacks Energy Exemption Push (9:40 a.m.)
A defense policy expert for Germany’s main opposition conservatives criticized the government in Berlin for seeking an exemption for the energy sector if there is a move to further sanction Russia.
“If there were sanctions, of course the full energy market would have to be included,” Johann Wadephul, a member of the Christian Democratic Union, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. A package of sanctions would have to “include Nord Stream 2 and all other energy connections we do have with Russia,” he added.
Bulgarian Troops to Join NATO Exercises (9:45 a.m.)
Bulgaria’s Defense Minister Stefan Yanev will push for allowing as many as 1,000 troops as part of joint NATO exercises in the country, widening the alliance’s military presence on the European Union’s eastern frontier.
“If we accept that we’re in a state of crisis, let’s seize the opportunities” Yanev said in a televised interview. The exercises will improve the Bulgarian military’s capabilities, he said.
Latvian President Accuses Russia of Imperialism (9:30 a.m.)
Russia “is demonstrating its intention to restore the Soviet empire,” Latvian President Egils Levits said, citing the 2008 conflict with Georgia and the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
“No matter how hard Russia tries, the wheel of history cannot be turned back,” Levits, the head of state in the former Soviet republic, said in a statement.
Russia Buildup at ‘Highest Level’: Janes (8:45 a.m.)
Russian forces are intensifying their build-up near Ukraine to the “highest level” yet, according to defense-intelligence firm Janes.
Russia has indicated it will move six tank-landing ships, a cruiser and a destroyer into the Mediterranean Sea, from where they can easily sail to the Black Sea, London-based Janes said by email.
A mass deployment of forces is also taking place in Belarus under the guise of exercises, including at least two battalions equipped with ballistic missiles, long-range multiple rocket launchers and a large number of battle tanks, it said.
U.K. Not Ruling Out Sanctions on Putin: Truss (8:20 a.m.)
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the U.K. would consider imposing individual sanctions on Putin if there was a Russian incursion into Ukraine. Asked about the prospect, also raised Tuesday by U.S. President Joe Biden, she told Sky News: “We are not ruling anything out.”
“We will be bringing forward new legislation to make our sanctions regime tougher so we are able to target more companies and individuals in Russia,” Truss said. “We’ll be bringing that forward in the next few days.”
Russian Troops Start Exercises Near Ukraine Border (8 a.m.)
Russia said more than 1,000 infantry troops were mobilized in a snap exercise in the southern Rostov region near the border with Ukraine Wednesday, one of a series of maneuvers announced by the military, according to local news reports.
The actions were routine and also included deployment of paratroopers and Su-35 fighters to Belarus for joint maneuvers there. Those operations should not cause any concern, despite the tensions around Ukraine, Interfax cited Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying last week.
‘Touch and Go’ Whether War Can be Averted (8 a.m.)
It’s not too late to prevent armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine but it’s “touch and go” and the coming days and weeks will be crucial, according to Lars Klingbeil, the co-leader of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party.
In an interview with Der Spiegel magazine, Klingbeil defended the German government’s reluctance to discuss the specifics of possible sanctions on Russia publicly, saying that anyone who criticizes that strategy “hasn’t understood how international politics works.”
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