Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky during a Normandy Format meeting at the Elysee Palace BERLIN, Jan 22Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is ready for a direct dialogue with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian Ambassador to Berlin Andriy Melnik told Handelsblatt. Earlier, the press secretary of the Russian leader, Dmitry Peskov, told RIA Novosti that no preparations were being made for the meeting of the presidents of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, there was only Ukraine pumping weapons and Kiev’s failure to comply with the Minsk agreements. According to Melnik, it is “extremely important” that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz personally advocated the resumption of the «Normandy format» in the Donbass (Russia, Germany, France, Ukraine). The ambassador again called on the German government to rethink its position on the issue of arms supplies and noted that Ukraine «will tirelessly convince the federal government and the opposition to supply defensive weapons to Ukraine «. At the same time, Melnyk added that, first of all, Ukraine needs «100 thousand helmets and body armor» for volunteers who go to the people's militia.In Ukraine, they told what kind of «humiliation» they had prepared for Germany Earlier, Chancellor Scholz said that the German government continues to pursue a successive policy on the supply of weapons to Ukraine, it does not support them. He added that Berlin is «very actively» working to achieve a de-escalation of the situation around Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly rejected the accusations of the West and Ukraine of «aggressive actions», saying that it does not threaten anyone and is not going to attack anyone, and statements about «Russian aggression» are being used as an excuse to deploy more NATO military equipment near Russian borders. The Russian Foreign Ministry previously noted that Western statements about «Russian aggression» and the possibility of helping Kiev defend itself against it are both ridiculous and dangerous. At the same time, Kiev and Western states have recently expressed concern about the alleged increase in «aggressive actions» sides of Russia near the borders of Ukraine. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is moving troops within its territory and at its own discretion. According to him, this does not threaten anyone and should not worry anyone.
The first batch of new military aid from the United States was delivered to UkraineAs the Foreign Minister said earlier Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, Russia does not create any pretexts for a conflict situation around Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly stated that Kiev does not comply with the Minsk agreements and drags out negotiations to resolve the conflict. The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that Kiev sent half of the entire personnel of the armed forces of Ukraine to the Donbass. Moscow expressed concern about the transfer of military equipment from NATO countries to the Russian borders and the increase in the number of Western instructors in the Donbass. Western countries continue to provide military support to Ukraine, including by supplying weapons that are used in the Donbass.
