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world news Diaranson 9 Februari 2022

Macron: Putin told him Russia won’t escalate Ukraine crisis

(AP) — French Presi- won’t be initiating an escala- lective trap” by initiating the
dent Emmanuel Macron tion. I think it is important.” exchange of documents with
said Tuesday that Russian the U.S. Moscow submitted
President Vladimir Pu- According to the French its demands to Washington
tin told him that Moscow president, Putin also said in the form of draft agree-
would not further escalate there won’t be any Russian ments that were made pub-
the Ukraine crisis. “permanent (military) base” lic, and insisted on a written
or “deployment” in Belarus, response, which was then
Macron also said it would where Russia had sent a large leaked.
take time to find a diplo- number of troops for war
matic solution to the rising games. Putin said after the meeting
tensions, which represent that the U.S. and NATO ig-
the biggest security crisis be- Peskov said withdrawing nored Moscow’s demands,
tween Russia and the West Russian troops from Belarus but signaled readiness to con-
since the Cold War. after the maneuvers was the tinue talking. He also reiter-
plan all along. ated a warning that NATO Stream 2 Russia-to-Germany nia ahead of a deployment of
His remarks on a visit to Kyiv membership for Ukraine gas pipeline, which has been about 1,000 NATO troops
came as the Kremlin denied Macron also sought to tem- could trigger a war between completed but is not yet op- expected in the country in
reports that he and Putin per expectations. Russia and the alliance erating, will be blocked. Such the coming days, Romania’s
struck a deal on de-escalating should Kyiv try to retake the a move would hurt Russia Defense Minister Vasile Din-
the crisis. Kremlin spokes- Zelenskyy called his talks Crimean Peninsula, which economically but also cause cu said.
man Dmitry Peskov said that with Macron “very fruitful.” Moscow annexed in 2014. energy supply problems for
“in the current situation, Germany. U.S. officials have said that
Moscow and Paris can’t be He said France was giving 1.2 NATO, U.S. and European about 1,000 alliance troops
reaching any deals.” billion euros ($1.3 billion) in leaders reject the demands British Prime Minister Bo- will be sent from Germany to
financial aid to Ukraine and that they say challenge ris Johnson, in an article in Romania, a NATO member
Macron met with Ukrainian helping restore infrastructure NATO’s core principles, like the Times of London, also since 2004. Romania borders
President Volodymyr Zel- in the war-ravaged east of the shutting the door to Ukraine urged allies to finalize heavy Ukraine to the north. About
enskyy amid mounting fears country. or other countries that might economic sanctions that 1,700 U.S. soldiers from the
of a Russian invasion. Mos- seek membership; but they would take effect if Russia 82nd Airborne are also going
cow has massed over 100,000 Western leaders in recent have offered to discuss other crosses into Ukraine. He said to Poland.
troops near Ukraine’s bor- weeks have engaged in high- Russian security concerns in the U.K. is ready to bolster
ders, but insists it has no level talks, and more are Europe. NATO forces in Latvia and U.S. officials have por-
plans to attack. planned amid the backdrop Estonia as he prepared to trayed the threat of an inva-
of military drills in Russia U.S. President Joe Biden has meet the Lithuanian prime sion of Ukraine as imminent
The Kremlin wants guar- and Belarus. On Tuesday, said any prospect of Ukraine minister in London to show — warnings Moscow has
antees from the West that Russia’s Defense Ministry entering NATO “in the near support for the Baltic nations. scoffed at, accusing Washing-
NATO will not accept said six large warships were term is not very likely,” but ton of fueling tensions.
Ukraine and other former moving from the Mediter- he and other alliance mem- Johnson said he was con-
Soviet nations as members, ranean to the Black Sea for bers and NATO itself refuse sidering dispatching RAF Russia and Ukraine have
that it halt weapon deploy- exercises. to rule out Ukraine’s future Typhoon fighters and Royal been locked in a bitter conflict
ments there and roll back its entry. Navy warships to south- since 2014, when Ukraine’s
forces from Eastern Europe Macron said he had not ex- eastern Europe. Britain said Kremlin-friendly president
— demands the U.S. and pected Putin to make any Biden met Monday with Monday it is sending 350 was ousted, Moscow annexed
NATO reject as nonstarters. “gestures” Monday, saying German Chancellor Olaf troops to Poland to bolster Crimea and then backed a
his objective was to “prevent Scholz, who also will trav- NATO’s eastern flank. It separatist insurgency in the
At a news conference after an escalation and open new el to Kyiv and Moscow on already has sent anti-tank east of the country. The fight-
meeting Zelenskyy, Macron perspectives. ... That objec- Feb. 14-15. They threatened weapons to Ukraine. ing between Russia-backed
said Putin told him during tive is met.” Russia with grave conse- rebels and Ukrainian forces
their more than five-hour quences if it invaded, and More than 100 U.S. military has killed over 14,000 people.
session Monday that “he Macron said Putin “set a col- Biden vowed that the Nord personnel arrived in Roma-

Boris Johnson criticized after protesters harass Starmer

(AP) — British leader Bo- Keir Starmer, the leader of children. he said, “did mention Jimmy and stabbed by a man with
ris Johnson was refusing the opposition Labour Party, Savile. They also mentioned far-right views.
Tuesday to retract his false was harassed outside Parlia- A 2013 report found that Julian Assange repeatedly,
claim that a political op- ment on Monday by pro- Starmer hadn’t been involved they mentioned COVID, Cox’s sister Kim Leadbeater
ponent helped a sex abus- testers against coronavirus in decisions about whether they also mentioned the op- — now a Labour lawmaker
er evade justice, as the restrictions, who could be Savile should be prosecuted. position more generally.” herself — said that while the
opposition accused the heard yelling accusations of protesters were responsible
prime minister of deploy- “protecting pedophiles” — Labour lawmaker Rosena Monday’s incident, which for their actions, “we also
ing dangerous Trump- echoing a slur made by John- Allin-Khan said Johnson saw Starmer driven away in have to be clear that things
style politics. son last week. was prepared to “smear any a police car and two arrests, don’t happen in a vacuum.”
person or group who stands heightened concerns that the
Johnson accused Starmer in in his way and benefit only atmosphere of British politics The Starmer altercation
the House of Commons of himself.” has become more toxic. added to discontent among
failing to prosecute Jimmy Conservatives with Johnson,
Savile for sexual abuse when Johnson called the harass- Two members of Parliament whose grip on power has
Starmer was the U.K.’s direc- ment of Starmer “absolutely have been killed in recent been shaken by public anger
tor of public prosecutions be- disgraceful,” but didn’t ac- years. Conservative lawmak- over revelations that his staff
tween 2008 and 2013. Savile cept any responsibility. er David Amess was stabbed held office parties in 2020 and
was a long-time presenter of to death as he met with con- 2021 while millions in Brit-
youth television shows who Technology Minister Chris stituents in October, in what ain were barred from meet-
was exposed after his death Philp argued that Johnson police have called an act of ing with friends and family
in 2011 as a sexual predator wasn’t responsible for the be- terrorism. In 2016, Labour because of his government’s
who had abused hundreds of havior of the protesters, who, legislator Jo Cox was shot COVID-19 restrictions.