By Janet Ekstract
İSTANBUL (TURKISH JOURNAL) – As the fourth day of the Russian invasion into Ukraine continues, global condemnation of Putin has been swift and decisive. Major Russian banks have been excluded from the Swift System and top Russian oligarchs and leaders have had heavy sanctions levied against them. In addition, there is a new twist in the Russian warmongering saga: Russia and Ukraine have agreed to meet on the Belarus border on Monday with no preconditions, according to top officials and media sources.
On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that a delegation representing Ukraine and Russian officials plan to meet on the Belarusian border. Zelensky commented: “We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River.” Zelensky had spoken with Belarus leader Alexander Luvashenko who Zelensky said will ensure that aerial elements and missiles stationed in Belarus will remain on the ground during the travel and meeting of the Ukrainian delegation.
Meanwhile, in a press conference, Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov announced on Sunday that Russia’s delegation for the peace talks with Ukraine already arrived in the Belrusian city of Gomel. Peskov commented: “In accordance with the agreement reached, a ;Russian delegation consistıng of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense and other departments, including the presidential administration, arrived in Belarus for talks with Ukraine.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Kuleba said that Russia must defuse border tensions and added that the fact that Russia is willing to enter into talks is a positive sign that Ukraine has forced Russia’s hand in what a majority view as Putin’s ruthless campaign to control the region. While a multitude of Ukrainians have fled to Poland, Romania and Moldova, many are still fleeing the country they have known their entire lives – many families leaving behind husbands who remain to fight for Ukraine. In addition, massive global protests are taking place simultaneously in a multitude of cities around the world, condemning Putin and his “bloody” war campaign.
World leaders heaped condemnation on Putin and his actions, with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemning the Russian president’s invasion of Ukraine and said of Putin: “What he is also doing in fact, is destroying the future of his own country.” The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We’ve got to do everything we can to change the heavy odds and to help them,” he said of Ukraine. U.S. President Joe Biden roundly condemned Putin’s actions and swiftly moved along with the EU to place heavy sanctions on Russian oligarchs as well as Russian banks- in addition to providing millions in assistance. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made a plea to Putin to return his troops to Russia while NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO has sent troops to support its allies in the region and said of Putin’s invasion: “Peace on our continent has been shattered.” Stoltenberg said that NATO has increased its presence on its eastern boundary in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Stoltenberg added: “This is a deliberate, cold-blooded and long-planned invasion.”
Back in Kiev, Ukraine’s President Zelensky made pleas to the West to do more and had discussed EU membership with Charles Michel, European Council head on Saturday. Zelensky said on Twitter: “It is a critical moment to close the long-standing discussion once and for all and decide on Ukraine’s membership in the EU.” Michel’s response was: “Ukraine and its people are family. Further concrete support is on its way.” Meanwhile, also on Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a formal statement said: “I have authorized, pursuant to a delegation by the President, an unprecedented third Presidential Drawdown of up to $350 million for immediate support to Ukraine’s defense. This brings the total security assistance the United States has committed to Ukraine over the past year to more than $1 billion. Blinken added: “This package will include further lethal defensive assistance to help Ukraine address the armored, airborne, and other threats it is now facing. It is another clear signal that the United States stands with the people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereign, courageous, and proud nation.”
In addition, Russian airlines face a near-total airspace blockade to the West after von der Leyen said a formal decision is expected on Sunday with EU nations one by one closing their airspace to Russian flights. Nations who have already banned Russian airliners both commercial and private, include Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Romania. Germany has imposed a three-month no-fly ban while Spain, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands and France also plan to close their airspace to Russian aircraft. Ireland and Austria have joined in the ban as well. Finland is preparing to close its airspace to Russian aircraft while Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said European skies were “open for those who connect people, not for those who seek to brutally aggress.” Meanwhile, in the U.S. – Delta Airlines said it would suspend a flight booking agreement with Russia’s Aeroflot. The UK ban on Russian flights has Moscow retaliating with a curb on British airlines flying into Russia.
