Amidst warnings of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, strong Western moves and NATO announces: Moscow's requests cannot be fulfilled

Amid the escalating Western threats by Russia to launch military aggression against its neighbor Ukraine, US Vice President Kamala Harris will meet today, Saturday, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Munich, while French President Emmanuel Macron is holding a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

According to a senior administration official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, Harris will also deliver a speech warning Russia that any invasion of Ukraine would likely lead to a larger NATO deployment on its doorstep, and that it would face a cost. Huge money if you take that step.

The official added that her message would, however, make clear that the United States remained open to diplomacy "even at this late hour" as Biden and other administration officials issued stern warnings that the window for diplomacy was closing.

Biden had said Friday evening that Putin had decided to invade Ukraine, and that he was continuing to spread false information to try to find a pretext for a military strike that could occur within days.

Biden gave Russia a choice between diplomacy and war and the resulting catastrophic repercussions, threatening Moscow with severe sanctions.

In response to a question whether Russian President Vladimir Putin made the decision to go to war, the US president replied that he was convinced that his Russian counterpart had made the decision to invade Ukraine.

Russia denies any plans to invade Ukraine, but seeks to prevent Kiev from joining NATO, and accuses the West of hysteria.

On Friday, Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine asked civilians to leave the separatist areas on buses, a move the West fears is part of a pretext for an offensive.

Western warnings

In this context, Western warnings of the possibility of Russia's invasion of Ukraine continued, as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed that there is no justification for mobilizing 100,000 Russian soldiers on the border with Ukraine.

He added that military aggression against Ukraine would be a serious mistake, warning that Europe is facing the threat of war and this threat has not been avoided in any way.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said allies should speak with one voice so that Putin can be sure he will pay a heavy price if Ukraine is invaded.

"We need solidarity to avoid bloodshed, and diplomacy can prevail," he added.

As for NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, he stressed that Russia is making demands that it knows cannot be achieved, calling on Moscow to turn its words into actions and withdraw its forces from the Ukrainian borders.

Stoltenberg stressed that the alliance does not threaten Russia or any other party, and there can be no strong security in Europe without NATO.

According to the Secretary-General of the Alliance, Moscow is seeking to increase its influence, and is trying to prevent NATO from defending itself and increasing the number of its members, but he stressed that it is not too late for Russia to retreat from the war and choose the political path.

For her part, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that the European Union would impose expensive economic sanctions on Russia if it invaded Ukraine, noting that the sanctions plans on Moscow would deprive it of high-tech.

The President of the European Commission warned of what she called Russia's attempts to undermine European security as a whole, stressing that Europe is facing an attempt to rewrite the rules of the world order.

european tour

In Lithuania, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a joint meeting with the defense ministers of the three Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania).

He also inspects US forces there.

After the meeting, Austin said that Russia has the capabilities to move at any time towards Ukraine, and I agreed with President Biden that Putin had made his decision.

Austin added that the Russian army had advanced to positions that would allow it to launch an attack on Ukraine.

For his part, the Lithuanian Defense Minister said that war can always be avoided, but it is up to the Russian President, and we hope that Putin will retreat from the brink of conflict.

French contacts

In Paris, a source in the French presidency said that President Emmanuel Macron will hold two calls today, Saturday and Sunday, with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, stressing the importance of maintaining communication channels with the aim of "avoiding the worst" in Ukraine.

The French source stressed the importance of trying everything and doing everything, warning of the danger of a Russian invasion of Ukrainian lands under the control of the Kiev government, and not only for those under the control of pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The French presidency confirmed that the Westerners had not observed any withdrawal of the Russian forces massed on the borders of Ukraine, contrary to what Russia announced in recent days.

Russian accusations

On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of not being serious about discussing security guarantees.

Putin added - during his meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko - that Moscow is ready to negotiate with the West, provided that its security guarantees are considered as a single package without exception.

In turn, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that Moscow and Minsk do not want war, warning that Europe is on the brink of all-out war.

Lukashenko accused some Western officials of what he called foolishness and lack of responsibility, and of being behind the escalation of the conflict in Donbass.