Ukraine announced on Wednesday it would impose a state of national emergency and suggested its citizens leave Russia, while Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was in a position for “diplomatic solutions” to the ongoing crisis, steps that come a day after Russia hit a flurry of sanctions through the United States and its allies for sending troops to two separatist enclaves in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s national security leader Oleksiy Danilov said a state of emergency would be imposed throughout Ukrainian territory, with the exception of rebel-held Donetsk and Luhansk, which have been in order since 2014.
The state of emergency will remain in effect for at least 30 days, but may be extended for an additional 30 days if necessary.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry issued a notice noting that the “intensification” of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine could disrupt its consular service in Russia.
In a televised speech on the occasion of the Day of the Defender of the Fatherland, a public holiday in Russia, Putin said Moscow is “always open” to “direct and fair dialogue” to solve complex problems.
The Russian president insisted, however, that Russia’s interests and security are a non-negotiable factor and that he will continue to expand complex weapons systems and modernize its armed forces.
Probably to anger the West, Putin also praised the professionalism and fighting readiness of the Russian army, which has been deployed in gigantic numbers near Ukraine’s borders.
The Ukrainian military on Wednesday began recruiting reservists between the ages of 18 and 60, Reuters reported. Recruited reservists must serve up to one year. A day earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had issued an order introducing the recruitment of reservists, but halted the general mobilization of troops when Russian troops began moving into rebel-held eastern Ukraine.
On Monday, Putin officially identified two pro-Russian separatist enclaves, Donetsk and Luhansk, in eastern Ukraine and ordered Russian troops into the region. In an hour-long televised address, Putin demanded that the Ukrainian government “immediately cease” the army’s action in insurgent regions. The Russian leader added that any “possible continuation of bloodshed” will be based only on Kiev. Putin also questioned Ukraine’s right to exist as an independent state, saying it “never had a culture of an original state” and was created through Russia. Putin’s moves have triggered an avalanche of economic sanctions against Russia by the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan and several other countries. In addition, Germany announced that it would postpone the approval of Nord Stream 2, the $11 billion submarine fuel pipeline linking Russia with Germany. Russia’s moves were also the subject of strong complaints at an emergency U. N. Security Council assembly on Monday.
Follow-up to sanctions against Russia: “First barrage” of sanctions announced by Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States (Forbes)
UN Security Council members criticize Russia after Putin ordered troops sent to Ukraine (Forbes)