Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba told the press on Tuesday that joint efforts made by Ukraine and its western allies may have prevented an escalation of the current crisis with Russia.
“We and our allies have managed to prevent Russia from any further escalation. It is already the middle of February, and you see that diplomacy is continuing to work,” Kuleba was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.
Kuleba’s comments come shortly after news came from Moscow that it is withdrawing some of its military units. A Russian defence ministry spokesperson said that Russian army units of the southern and western units have returned back to their bases.
“Units of the Southern and Western military districts, having completed their tasks, have already begun loading onto rail and road transport and today they will begin moving to their military garrisons,” Igor Konashenkov told Russian news agencies.
The developments come amid German chancellor Scholz’s visit to Moscow where he is scheduled to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin. Hours ahead of both announcements, German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock sent a strict message to Russia asking them to withdraw troops and deescalate the crisis. Ukraine earlier said that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline – which has earned the ire of the US and other allies since doubts rose that Germany was silent throughout the crisis because of the gas supply it needs from Russia during winter – was being wielded by Russia as a geopolitical weapon.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Assembly Elections Live Updates here.
For all the latest world News Click Here
