Russian and Ukrainian officials are to meet in Paris for delegations today in a bid to calm tensions over Moscow’s military build-up on its neighbor’s frontier.
Russia is represented by vice-prime minister Dmitri Kozak and Ukraine by presidential advisor Andriy Yermak, with diplomatic advisors to President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also taking part in the so-called “Normandy Format” talks from 11am.
Each side is expected to brief the media later in the day, with an aide to Mr Macron saying earlier in the week that France and Germany would attempt to move Russia and Ukraine along “a path to de-escalation”.
Since the alleged Russian threat on Ukraine, other countries have sent military aid to protect Ukraine. Moscow has more than 100,000 troops massed on its neighbor’s border and is carrying out or preparing military drills, with thousands more in Belarus and the Crimean peninsula, which it annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
Ukraine Would Get Help
“If there is an attack, there will be retaliation and the price (for Russia) will be very high,” Mr. Macron said alongside Mr Scholz on a visit to Berlin.
American President Joe Biden warned that there could be personal sanctions against Mr. Putin if fighting began, while US officials trailed cutting Moscow off from US high-tech exports.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also warned, saying sanctions would be “heavier than anything we’ve ever done.”
