LAST: The Russian Minister of Defense informed Putin on Monday that several military exercises will end. It reports the news agency AFP.
On Monday, Russian diplomats also advised President Vladimir Putin to continue talks with the West on tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has advised the president to continue dialogue with the United States and its allies, despite rejecting Russian demands. It writes the news agency AP.
Asked by Putin whether it would make sense to continue a diplomatic dialogue, Lavrov said he called for further negotiations – while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has traveled to Kiev and Moscow for a final attempt to avert Russian invasion.
Increased voltage
In recent days, tensions have risen on the border between Russia and Ukraine. Before the weekend, the United States warned that Russia had now gathered large enough forces on the border to be able to launch an offensive “at any time”.
Russia has repeatedly denied plans for an invasion – but with more than 100,000 Russian troops at the border, several Western countries continue to send military aid to eastern NATO countries.
Several countries, including Norway, the United States, Australia, Germany and New Zealand, have urged their citizens in Ukraine to leave the country.
– It is a serious and unpredictable security situation that can change quickly. We have a close dialogue with our allies about the situation. Therefore, we now advise against all travel to Ukraine, and we encourage Norwegian citizens to leave the country, said Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Labor) at a press conference on Friday night.
She says it is still possible to travel out of Ukraine using regular scheduled flights and ordinary transport, but was clear that the situation could change.
Reason for unrest
On Friday, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Labor Party) met French President Emmanuel Macron in the city of Brest. After the meeting, Støre told TV 2 that there is reason to be concerned about the situation.
– These are large military exercises at the border. And there is quite a bit of progress in what may be diplomatic tracks. There are no good negotiation processes underway, and that gives cause for concern, said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to TV 2 on Friday.
Over the weekend, the situation remains unclear, but the Russian foreign minister suggests that there are still opportunities for a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
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