Over the rising tensions on its border, Ukraine has requested a meeting with Russia and other members of a crucial European security group.
Dmytro Kuleba, Russia’s foreign minister, said the country had rejected formal requests to justify the force build-up.
The next step, he said, would be to request a meeting within the next 48 hours to discuss Russia’s objectives.
Despite the presence of 100,000 soldiers on Ukraine’s borders, Russia has denied any ambitions to invade the country.
However, with the United States warning that Moscow could launch air strikes at any time, more than a dozen countries have encouraged their nationals to flee Ukraine.
Vadym Prystaiko, Ukraine’s ambassador to London, has walked back comments he made to the BBC in which he claimed Ukraine was willing to be flexible on its desire to join Nato, which would have been a big concession to Russia.
However, in a subsequent interview, he stated that Ukraine had a constitutional commitment to join Nato and that whether Ukraine would be allowed relied on Nato’s readiness.
The UK’s Armed Forces Minister, James Heappey, stated that whatever Ukraine decides, the UK will support it.
Ukraine has asked Russia to justify its army buildup through the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). OSCE members can request information on a member’s military actions under the Vienna Document, to which Russia is a signatory.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, meanwhile, slammed the hysteria that such statements could cause and said he had seen no indication that Russia was plotting an invasion in the next few days.
