Russia Sends Six Warships To Black Sea Amid Ukraine Tensions – Live

Talks with Putin helped avoid further escalation on Ukraine – Emmanuel Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron, after his meeting with Russia’s Putin, on Tuesday told journalists that the talks had helped reach the goal of preventing a further deterioration of the security crisis concerning Ukraine.

Macron, in his remarks on the meeting, also said that he never thought “for one second” that Putin was prepared to make any gestures.

Thomas Kingsley8 February 2022 11:26

Why does Russia want to block Ukraine from joining Nato?

Tensions continue to mount along Russia’s border with Ukraine, where Moscow has been building up its military presence, estimated to amount to around 106,000 soldiers.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has denied he has any intention of invading the neighbouring state but has presented the West with a series of demands, including an end to the eastern expansion of Nato membership to ex-Soviet states and the curtailment of US and Nato military activity on Russia’s doorstep.

Our reporter, Joe Sommerlad, has the full story below:

Thomas Kingsley8 February 2022 10:38

Ukraine foreign minister says it is ready to negotiate but ‘will not cross its red lines’

Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said Kiev is ready to negotiate with Russia but “will not cross its red lines and no one will be able to force us.”

Ahead of French president Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Kiev today, Mr Kuleba said he looks forward with interest into the prospects of the French premier’s talk with Mr Putin.

Thomas Kingsley8 February 2022 10:08

Russia says six warships are heading to Black Sea for drills

Six Russian warships are heading to the Black Sea from the Mediterranean for naval drills, the Interfax news agency cited Russia’s Defence Ministry as saying on Tuesday, in what it said was a pre-planned movement of military resources.

Russia announced last month its navy would stage a sweeping set of exercises involving all its fleets in January and February, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, the latest show of strength in a surge of military activity during a standoff with the West.

Thomas Kingsley8 February 2022 09:40

Macron heads to Kiev after talks with Putin

Macron is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as fears of a possible Russian invasion mount.

The Kremlin has demanded guarantees from the West that Nato will not accept Ukraine and other former Soviet nations as members, halt weapon deployments there and roll back its forces from Eastern Europe — demands the US and Nato reject as nonstarters.

Western leaders in recent weeks have engaged in high-level diplomacy in the hope of de-escalating the tensions and preventing an attack.

Macron sat down with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday for talks that lasted more than five hours. After the long meeting, the two leaders emphasized the need for more talks, while also registering their disagreements.

Thomas Kingsley8 February 2022 09:23

Paris says Putin agreed to start no new manoeuvres near Ukraine for now

Russian president Vladimir Putin promised not to carry out new military initiatives near Ukraine for the time being as a precursor to possible de-escalation, a French official said after Putin held talks with France’s Emmanuel Macron.

The Russian leader, according to the French official, also agreed that troops taking part in a military exercise on Belarusian territory near Ukraine’s borders would be pulled back once those war games are over.

Putin himself did not mention such concessions when he spoke to the media after his six hours of talks with Macron in the Kremlin late on Monday.

Thomas Kingsley8 February 2022 08:50

All six Royal Navy destroyers in port amid heightened tensions with Russia

All six of the Royal Navy’s state-of-the-art Type 45 destroyers are currently docked in port, at a time of heightened tensions with Russia

The guided-missile destroyers have been plagued by engine issues since they were launched, with ships in the class now undergoing a power improvement project (PIP).

Announced in 2018, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it is intended to “provide a robust solution to the power and propulsion issues observed in Type 45”.

Read the full report below:

Thomas Kingsley8 February 2022 08:35

Ukraine invasion will only strengthen Nato, Johnson warns Putin

Boris Johnson has warned Russian president Vladimir Putin that invading Ukraine would backfire and only serve to strengthen Nato

The prime minister said he was considering dispatching RAF Typhoon fighters and Royal Navy warships to protect south-eastern Europe after sending 350 British troops to Poland.

Mr Johnson, writing in The Times, said the UK “will not flinch now” and that Britain will remain “unconditional and immovable” in supporting the Nato defence alliance.

Read the full story below:

Thomas Kingsley8 February 2022 08:15

US and Russia clash over use of UN sanctions

The United States and its allies clashed with Russia and China in the UN Security Council over the usefulness and impact of UN sanctions, currently imposed on countries from North Korea to Yemen and Congo as well the al-Qaida and Islamic State extremist groups and their affiliates and supporters.

Russia, which holds the council presidency this meeting and chose the topic – preventing humanitarian and unintended consequences of sanctions – also lashed out at unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States, European Union and other countries and groups.

Read the full story below:

Thomas Kingsley8 February 2022 08:00

Ukraine’s army plans drills with drones, anti-tank missiles this week

Ukraine’s army will conduct military drills from 10 February to 20 February in response to Russian exercises in Belarus near the Ukrainian northern border, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said late on Monday.

Reznikov told a local TV channel, that Ukrainian soldiers were constantly holding different exercises and from 10 February they would start drilling the use of Bayraktar drones and anti-tank Javelin and NLAW missiles provided by foreign partners.

Western countries say they fear Moscow may be planning to invade Ukraine as it has amassed more than 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border and deployed 30,000 more in Belarus for joint drills. Russia denies such a plan saying it needs to strengthen its defence amid Nato expansion to the East.

Thomas Kingsley8 February 2022 07:45