Ukraine’s security director warned the West on Monday against pressuring the government to adopt a peace plan for eastern Ukraine mediated by France and Germany, claiming that doing so would cause internal turmoil that would benefit Moscow.
The secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, Oleksiy Danilov, told The Associated Press that if Russia invades, Ukraine has the potential to mobilise up to 2.5 million people.
He said that approximately 120,000 Russian forces are stationed near Ukraine and that Moscow might conduct provocations “at any time,” but warned that launching a full-fledged invasion would necessitate extensive preparations that would be easily detected.
“The preparation stage that will be noticed by the entire world could take three to seven days,” Danilov explained. “We haven’t yet seen it. We have a good understanding of what is going on and are quietly preparing for it.”
He criticised the decision by the United States, Britain, Australia, Germany, and Canada to withdraw some of its ambassadors and dependents from Kyiv, saying the action “wasn’t nice for us” and emphasising that “we don’t believe there is a threat right now.”
In a phone call Thursday, US President Joe Biden reminded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that there is a “clear chance” that Russia will invade the nation in February. However, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko downplayed the war worries, claiming on Friday that Russia’s army buildup could be part of Moscow’s efforts to exert “psychological pressure” and spread panic.
“We cannot tolerate panic in the country,” Danilov told the Associated Press. “It’s tough for us to maintain control of the economic situation when the media is always reporting that the war will begin tomorrow.” “Panic is the twin sister of defeat.”
In the event of a Russian invasion, Ukraine, according to Danilov, has the capability of rapidly and drastically beefing up its 250,000-strong military.
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