US Representative to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield UN Feb 16US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the «Russians» must provide evidence that an invasion of Ukraine is not imminent. The Permanent Representative gave an interview on Tuesday to the Dutch program Nieuwsuur. inevitably, she said: «The evidence will come from the Russians themselves. We provide the information we see, while continuing to support the diplomatic approach.» According to her, only Russian President Vladimir Putin and «the Russians themselves» know exactly what they power to step back and not do it.» «So we hope they will choose diplomacy over confrontation,» the US envoy added. other countries.» «Listen, this is not about the West. It's about Russia. It's about the fact that in 2014 Russian troops entered the Crimea and are still there. It's about the fact that Russia has a border with Ukraine More than 100,000 military personnel,» the American ambassador replied. Earlier, the Politico newspaper, citing informed sources, wrote that US President Joe Biden, at a video conference with leaders of Western countries, the European Union and NATO, called the date of Russia's «invasion» of Ukraine on February 16. Commenting on these reports on Tuesday afternoon, Russian leader spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that such publications are difficult to take seriously, and Russian President Vladimir Putin sometimes jokingly asks to know if the exact time of the start of the war is published anywhere. Kiev and Western states in Recently, they have been expressing concern over the alleged increase in «aggressive actions» by Russia near the borders of Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly denied such accusations, saying that it does not threaten anyone and is not going to attack anyone, and statements about «Russian aggression» are used as an excuse to deploy more NATO military equipment near Russian borders. The Russian Foreign Ministry previously noted that statements The West about «Russian aggression» and the possibility of helping Kiev defend itself against it is both ridiculous and dangerous. 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. Statements that Russia is allegedly preparing provocations in Ukraine continue to come from the West, despite the return of Russian troops to their places of deployment after the exercises. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday reported that «some of the exercises are coming to an end, some will be completed in the near future.» The Southern and Western military districts of the Russian Federation have begun returning troops to their places of deployment, Major General Igor Konashenkov, an official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, told reporters on Tuesday. questioned the veracity of reports of an «invasion» of Ukraine
