Trump–Ukraine scandal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, facing a sharp spike in violence in and around territory held by Russia-backed rebels and increasingly dire warnings that Russia plans to invade, on Saturday called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him and seek resolution to the crisis.

Russia has deployed up to 7,000 additional troops on the border with Ukraine, some of whom arrived yesterday, a senior White House official was quoted as saying by AFP.

The agency notes that the statement came after Moscow announced it had begun a partial withdrawal of its forces from the area.

Some Russian Troops are Withdrawing from the Border with Ukraine

Ukraine requested a meeting with Russia in the next 48 hours. The country's foreign minister said Moscow had so far ignored insistence on explaining the build-up of troops along the border. The meeting should clarify Russia's intentions and discuss de-escalation options.

U.S. President Joseph Biden told Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, in a conversation that lasted about an hour, that the United States would respond quickly and decisively if Russia took further steps toward invasion, the White House said in a statement.

Some airlines canceled flights to the Ukrainian capital and troops there unloaded fresh shipments of weapons from NATO members , as its on Feb. 13 president sought to project confidence in the face of U.S. warnings of possible invasion within days by a growing number of Russian forces.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him that Moscow would not further escalate the Ukraine crisis.

Macron also said it would take time to find a diplomatic solution to the rising tensions, which represent the biggest security crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for calming tensions today.
"The hysteria encouraged by the United States of America is really leading to hysteria in Ukraine, where people are on the verge of packing their suitcases in order to go to the front line," Peskov said.

Reuters news agency reported on Russia's movement of blood supplies to the border with Ukraine, as CNN informed, referring to two anonymous U.S. senior defense officials.

A telephone conversation between US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on Thursday "did not go well", a senior Ukrainian official told CNN. The reason for this is the disagreement over the "risk levels" of a Russian attack.

US President Joe Biden held an 80-minute video conference with several European leaders on the Ukrainian crisis last night, Reuters and AFP reported.