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#accelerate#State#troops#Monday Washington, Feb 14 (Reuters) - The United States is moving its Ukrainian embassy operations from the capital Kiev to the western city of Lviv, citing a "significant acceleration in the build-up of Russian troops," SECRETARY of State Antsy Blinken said on Monday. U.S. officials have warned that Moscow continues to amass more than 100,000 troops near Russia's border with Ukraine and in neighboring Belarus, and could launch destructive attacks, including on Kiev, at any time. Moscow denies Western accusations that it is planning an invasion. "An invasion of Ukraine could trigger violence and destruction on a massive scale, with loss of life regardless of nationality -- American, Ukrainian" or others, State Department spokesman Ned Price said at a briefing. In a statement, Blinken said the decision to move embassy operations to Lviv was made for the safety of staff. Lviv is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Ukraine's western border with Poland. Most embassy staff have been asked to leave Ukraine, and American citizens have been advised to leave the country by commercial means. Mr Blinken said the move would "in no way" undermine US support for Ukraine's "sovereignty and territorial integrity" and that US diplomats would "remain engaged" with the Ukrainian government. He said the US was continuing to press Moscow for a diplomatic solution. But Price told reporters, "We don't know if Russia is interested... Explore diplomatic options." He said Washington took note of comments made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a televised meeting with President Vladimir Putin that Moscow would continue diplomatic efforts to secure security guarantees from the West. Price continued, "What we haven't noticed is any indication of a de-escalation of the Russian military." The top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, charge d 'affaires Kristina Kvien, will work in Lviv, and the U.S. mission in Kiev will be protected by The Ukrainian National Guard, he said. |
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In 2010, John Maher, the State Department's Director of Japan affairs, accused the Japanese of using their consensus-building "harmony culture" as a "blackmail tool," and called Okinawans "lazy people who can't even grow bitter melons" and "masters of deception." His remarks were reported in the media and triggered strong complaints from Japan, with more than 30 local councils in Okinawa passing resolutions protesting. |
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#accelerate#announce#Russia On Monday evening, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the United States was coordinating with Allies and expected to announce new sanctions on Russia on Tuesday, Thomson Reuters reported. She said Russia is clearly violating international law and Ukraine's sovereignty, and the United States and our Allies are united in calling on Russia to withdraw its troops and return to the diplomatic table.White House officials revealed in late January that possible U.S. export controls would reduce Russia's ability to industrialize in several key industries, including aviation, shipping, robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and defense.Downing Street announced That Prime Minister Boris Johnson will hold an emergency cabinet meeting at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday to discuss significant sanctions against Russia over President Vladimir Putin's deployment of so-called 'peacekeepers' into eastern Ukraine, the Mirror reported. Johnson told the BBC on Sunday that Britain and the United States would impose unprecedented sanctions on Russia if it invaded Ukraine, including banning Russian companies from trading in pounds and dollars.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on February 19 that Brussels had already dispersed supplies of liquefied natural gas from around the world and could survive the winter even if Russia cut supplies altogether, POLITICO Europe reported.Ms. Von der Leyen stressed that Europe should speed up the transition to sustainable energy because it was also a way of getting rid of Russian gas. Europe must diversify its suppliers and sources of energy, she said, and is stepping up investment in renewable energy that will boost its strategic energy independence.Von der Leyen said February 19 that the European Union, home to many of the world's leading high-tech products, would impose export bans if Russia attacked its neighbors, the Associated Press reported. |
