The Ukrainian conflict is ‘impossible’, the Pentagon official says | Ukraine-Russia Problems Issues

US officials say they do not believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a “final decision” on the Ukrainian occupation, and insisted that the door to negotiations be avoided. conflict in Eastern Europe it is still open.

The Pentagon on Friday reiterated its promise to protect NATO allies on the Ukrainian border if they come to Russia, warning that the killings in the war could be “dangerous”.

“There is no reason why this should cause controversy. He (Putin) could have chosen more,” US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told reporters, adding that “the conflict is inevitable.”

“He can chase after his soldiers. They can choose discussions and discussions. “Whatever they choose, the United States will stand with our friends and colleagues,” Austin said.

His remarks came just days after the United States issued the statement written answers to Russia’s security concerns, which Putin said did not take into account the country’s “concerns” – which is Moscow’s opposition to NATO’s rise to the east.

Russian troops have been mobilizing troops near the country’s border with Ukraine, which has led to economic woes and increased fears of the US and Europe that Russia is preparing to attack a neighboring country. Russia has denied any attempt to seize Ukraine, but has strongly denied any involvement with NATO.

Moscow wants security guarantees that the US-led treaty would halt its growth in the former Soviet Union, but Washington and NATO denied the allegations as “unconventional” when they said they were free to discuss possible arms embargoes in Europe.

The war will be ‘terrible’: US General

On Friday, US Secretary of State Mark Milley warned of a Russian invasion in Ukraine it could lead to serious injuries and severe, unnecessary suffering for civilians – and he reiterated Washington’s call for a reduction.

“It can kill a lot of people. And you can imagine how this would look in the frozen cities, on the streets, and so on,” Milley told reporters. “It will be terrible. It will be dangerous, and it is not necessary. And we think that the results of diplomacy are the way to go here. “

In the past, Amnesty International he also said that escalating the war in Ukraine could be dangerous, proving that the conflict has already affected millions.

“The effects of a real army can be devastating,” said Agnes Callamard, the group’s secretary general. “Ukraine’s recent history has been linked to conflicts over Russian troops in the Donbas and the illegal occupation of Crimea.

Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in Ukraine in 2014 and soon aided the separatists in the east of the country. to fight has killed more than 13,000 people and millions in migration.

Earlier this week, the Pentagon set 8,500 American troops “Stay awake” in anticipation of violence in Eastern Europe. President Joe Biden has banned war against Russia against Ukraine, threatening to impose more sanctions if Moscow decides to take up arms against its neighbor.

However, the US president said Washington would respect “sacred responsibility” for its NATO allies, who have a defense alliance. Milley said Friday that Ukraine surpasses four NATO members – Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.

“The president and the secretary of defense have allowed the United States military to intensify our efforts if we are to strengthen or support our NATO allies,” he said, emphasizing, however, that the US does not have a stable army in Ukraine. only.

“There is a small group of US and NATO advisers and trainers here in Ukraine,” Milley told reporters. “The United States has no weapons of mass destruction, no permanent force, or no base in Ukraine.”

UN Security Council Conference

In the meantime, US authorities have requested a meeting next week at UN Security Council – where Washington and Moscow and regular members – discuss the issue

The open session was set to begin on Monday, but on Friday, Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy, called for a U.S. request to meet with the “stunt”, meaning Moscow could call for a vote to cancel the summit.

Nine of the 15 members of the Security Council must vote in favor of the convention; five permanent members cannot use their veto powers to interfere.

I do not remember any time when an SC member decided to discuss his nonsense and just thought it was a threat to call someone. We hope that UNSC members will not tolerate this disgrace of PR because of the history of the UN Security Council. https://t.co/2HCjnQh0ic

– Dmitry Polyanskiy (@Dpol_un) January 28, 2022

Biden chief of staff said Friday that the Security Council has a “significant responsibility” for dealing with problems that threaten international peace, such as situation in Ukraine.

“We believe that the current situation needs to be put in place for negotiations to prevent further setbacks,” said the official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity. “In our opinion, it would be a disregard for the activities of the Security Council to take a wait-and-see approach.”

The summit will be a “significant opportunity” for world powers, including Russia, to “make their mark” on the crisis, the official added.