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world news Diahuebs 10 Februari 2022

British envoy in Moscow to try to ease Ukraine crisis

(AP) — Britain’s top dip- ister Sergey Lavrov during escalation, but also acknowl-
lomat flew Wednesday to the two-day visit. edged that it will take time
Moscow, seeking to defuse to find a diplomatic solution
tensions raised by Rus- Truss urged Moscow to abide to the biggest security crisis
sia’s military buildup near by its international agree- between Russia and the West
Ukraine and warning that ments that commit it to re- since the Cold War.
an invasion would bring specting Ukraine’s indepen-
“massive consequences dence and sovereignty. He later flew to Berlin to
for all involved.” meet with German Chan-
Russian Foreign Ministry cellor Olaf Scholz and Pol-
“Russia has a choice here. spokesman Maria Zakharova ish President Andrzej Duda,
We strongly encourage them again rejected warnings from and they urged de-escalation
to engage, de-escalate and Washington and its allies of by Russia and that it engage
choose the path of diplo- a possible Russian invasion, in a meaningful dialogue on
macy,” Foreign Secretary Liz calling them “absurd.” European security.
Truss said ahead of departing
on the first visit to Moscow “We have no aggressive plans, On Wednesday, Spanish For-
by the U.K.’s top envoy in but I have a feeling that the eign Minister José Manuel criticized the U.S. and its
more than four years. U.S. does,” she said, adding Albares visited Kyiv to meet allies for turning the Nord The U.S. has begun to move
that Washington’s statements with his Ukrainian counter- Stream 2 “into an instrument the 2nd Cavalry Regiment
Russia has massed over reminded her of the rhetoric part, Dmytro Kuleba. After- of pressure on Moscow” from Vilseck, Germany, to
100,000 troops near before the U.S. war in Iraq. ward, Albares reiterated that and called recent statements Romania, which borders
Ukraine’s border and has dialogue and de-escalation about it “a political circus.” Ukraine. U.S. officials have
launched military maneuvers Several dozen Ukrainians should be the priorities. said they would send about
in the region, but says it has rallied outside the U.S. Em- Kuleba urged more sanc- Japan has decided to divert 1,000 NATO troops.
no plans to invade its neigh- bassy in Kyiv, urging Wash- tions against Russia and said some of its gas reserves to Eu-
bor. It wants guarantees from ington to use its international “there is a chance to resolve rope amid growing concern The first troops arrived
the West that NATO not al- clout to prevent a Russian of- the crisis through diplomatic over possible disruptions of in Romania in the past 24
low Ukraine and other for- fensive. means.” supplies due to the crisis, said hours, said the regiment’s
mer Soviet nations as mem- Japanese Economy, Trade commander, Col. Joe Ewers.
bers, that the alliance halt Western leaders in recent Scholz is expected in Kyiv and and Industry Minister Koichi
weapon deployments there, weeks have engaged in mul- Moscow on Feb. 14-15. He Hagiuda. The decision was “We are always prepared to
and that it roll back its forces tiple rounds of high-stakes met Monday with U.S. Pres- made at the request of the meet any mission as is re-
from Eastern Europe. The diplomacy in hopes of de- ident Joe Biden, who vowed United States and European quired,” he said in Vilseck.
U.S. and NATO flatly reject escalating the crisis. that the Nord Stream 2 Rus- Union. “But the focus will be on
these demands. sia-to-Germany gas pipeline training and we will initially
French President Emmanuel will be blocked in the event U.S. and European officials partner with multiple Roma-
Western nations say they Macron held over five hours of an invasion. Such a move have been coordinating with nian elements within the re-
will impose their toughest- of talks Monday with Presi- against the pipeline, which global natural gas suppliers gion there.”
ever sanctions on Russian dent Vladimir Putin in Mos- has been completed but is to cushion the impact in case
businesses and individuals if cow before meeting with not yet operating, would hurt Russia cuts off natural gas About 1,700 U.S. soldiers
Moscow invades Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volody- Russia economically but also supplies. from the 82nd Airborne Di-
myr Zelenskyy in Kyiv the cause energy supply prob- vision are going to Poland,
“Russia should be in no next day. lems for Germany. NATO also has stepped up where Britain also pledged to
doubt about the strength of the deployment of troops to send 350 more troops. The
our response,” said Truss, Macron said that Putin told Russia’s Deputy Foreign bolster the alliance’s eastern U.K. already has sent anti-
who will meet Foreign Min- him he would not initiate an Minister Sergei Ryabkov flank. tank weapons to Ukraine.

Slovakia lawmakers approve defense military treaty with US

(AP) — Slovakia’s parlia- the 150-seat legislature in a Kuchyna and Sliac — for ger, who said it will “signifi- Thousands rallied against
ment on Wednesday ap- vote split between lawmakers 10 years while Slovakia — a cantly enhance our security.” the agreement on Tuesday in
proved a defense military from the four-party ruling NATO member — will re- But the agreement is fiercely front of the parliament build-
treaty with the United coalition and the opposition. ceive $100 million from the opposed by the opposition, ing when lawmakers were
States. U.S. to modernize them. which claims it would com- debating it.
The treaty allows the U.S. promise the country’s sov-
The Defense Cooperation military to use two Slovak The deal was signed by U.S. ereignty, make possible a The protest united the Slo-
Agreement passed 79-60 in air force bases — Malacky- Secretary of State Antony permanent presence of U.S. vak opposition, including the
Blinken and Slovakia’s de- troops on Slovak territory far-right People’s Party Our
fense minister, Jaroslav Nad, and even enable a possible Slovakia and the leftist Smer-
on Feb. 3 in Washington. It deployment of nuclear weap- Social Democracy of former
still needs to be ratified by ons in Slovakia. populist Prime Minister
President Zuzana Caputova, Robert Fico.
who supports it. The Slovak and U.S. govern-
ments have rejected those The U.S. has such an agree-
The vote took place amid charges. ment with 23 other NATO
fears that Russia will in- members, including, Po-
vade Ukraine. Moscow has “Nothing in today’s agree- land and Hungary, two oth-
massed more than 100,000 ment creates permanent U.S. er countries that neighbor
troops near Ukraine’s bor- bases or troop presence in Ukraine on the eastern flank
ders, but insists it has no Slovakia, and the agreement of the alliance.
plans to attack. Slovakia bor- fully respects Slovakia’s sov-
ders Ukraine. ereignty and laws,” Blinken Any particular deployment
said during Thursday’s sign- of U.S. forces still needs ap-
The treaty has been sup- ing ceremony at the U.S. proval by the Slovak govern-
ported by the government of State Department. ment and parliament.
Prime Minister Eduard He-