Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Donbas in eastern Ukraine on Thursday amid rising tensions with Russia over a long-running conflict in the region.
According to the Office of the President, the leader “visited the positions on the frontline of defence, where the largest number of violations of the comprehensive and permanent ceasefire regime was recorded.” There, he spoke with numerous soldiers and expressed his for their service in their country’s fight for sovereignty and independence. “Thank you for keeping people calm and defending our land. You are a true example of heroism and dedication. We remember every warrior who died defending our state,” the President said.
Recent clashes between pro-Russia separatists and government forces have sparked concerns about an escalation of instability in eastern Ukraine. Tensions have also soared due to Russia’s attempts to exert pressure on Kyiv by building up troops along their shared border as well as on the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula. Though Moscow has maintained that its actions are defensive in nature and do not pose a threat to anyone, the international community has fiercely condemned its aggression in the region.
Last week, the European Union (EU) accused Russia of violating international law by launching “yet another conscription campaign” in Russian-occupied Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to draft residents into the country’s armed forces. Denouncing its aggression in the region, the bloc stressed that Russia was obligated to protect human rights on the peninsula and reiterated that it “does not and will not recognise the illegal annexation” of Crimea.
On Thursday, in a phone call with President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed concern over the situation in eastern Ukraine and urged Russia to relax its military posture at the border. Moscow, however, blamed Ukraine for engaging in “provocative actions,” and said that it was “deliberately aggravating the situation along the line of contact.” On the same day, the US also said that Russian aggressive actions in the region “were deeply concerning,” and that it was engaging with various NATO allies on the matter.
With regards to NATO, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday urged the alliance to speed up Kyiv’s path toward membership, arguing that it was the only way to end the conflict in the country’s eastern Donbas region. Following a call with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, Zelensky stressed that purely defence reform—which has been a prerequisite to join the alliance—will do nothing to deter Russian aggression and that a Membership Action Plan (MAP) would serve as a “real signal” to Moscow.
Ukraine’s Zelensky Visits Donbas Amid Russian Troop Build-up Near Border
Recent clashes between pro-Russia separatists and government forces have sparked concerns about an escalation of instability in eastern Ukraine.
April 9, 2021
SOURCE: PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE