West should ‘enhance and speed up’ its navy help to Ukraine, says EU’s Borrell

Issued on: 19/02/2023 – 10:18Modified: 19/02/2023 – 10:43

11:40am: ‘With out the US, there wouldn’t be a free Ukraine anymore’, Polish PM tells FRANCE 24 

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stated that Poland was in favour of delivering as many weapons as potential to Ukraine – together with fighter jets – in order that its navy would have the ability to rapidly regain Russian-ocuppied territory. 

Full navy help for Ukraine might make 2023 a “turning second” in European historical past, Morawiecki stated. “I do imagine that 2023, with our dedication, would be the finish of the struggle in Ukraine. And I do imagine Ukraine will win that struggle.”

Morawiecki stated that US President Joe Biden’s go to to Poland on Monday forward of the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine could be “symbolic” and expressed gratitude for the help the US has proven Ukraine. He added that the 2 leaders deliberate to debate growing provides of ammunition and different weapons to Ukrainian forces.

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11:29am: Russia rebukes Macron on feedback, references Napoleon 

Russia on Sunday scolded Emmanuel Macron over remarks about Russia’s defeat, saying that Moscow nonetheless remembered the destiny of Napoleon Bonaparte and accusing the French president of duplicitous diplomacy with the Kremlin.

Macron informed paper Le Journal du Dimanche that France needed Russia to be defeated in Ukraine however had by no means needed to “crush” it.

“About ‘by no means’: France didn’t start with Macron, and the stays of Napoleon, revered on the state degree, relaxation within the centre of Paris. France – and Russia – ought to perceive,” International Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated.

“Normally, Macron is priceless,” she stated, including that his remarks confirmed the West had engaged in discussions about regime change in Russia whereas Macron had repeatedly sought conferences with the Russian management.

10:17am: EU’s Borrell helps Estonian proposal for EU joint ammunition purchases

EU overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell stated on Sunday he supported an Estonian proposal for the EU to purchase ammunition on behalf of its members to assist Ukraine. Borrell made his feedback to the Munich Safety Convention after Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas outlined the proposal.

“I utterly agree with the Estonian prime minister’s proposal and we’re engaged on that and it’ll work,” Borrell stated.

9:56am: West should present extra navy help to Ukraine, says EU’s Borrell

European Union overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell stated on Sunday the West should present extra navy help to Ukraine and pace up its deliveries.

“Rather more needs to be finished and far faster. There may be nonetheless lots to be finished. We’ve got to extend and speed up our navy help,” Borrell stated in a speech on the Munich Safety Convention.

9:31am: Kremlin scolds US for casting Crimea as respectable goal

The Kremlin on Sunday solid the US was a “main provocateur” of worldwide tensions for condoning assaults on Crimea, warning that the remarks concerning the peninsula underscored the depth of disagreement between the 2 nations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was responding to feedback by US Below Secretary of State Victoria Nuland who stated the US considers that Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, ought to be demilitarised and that Washington helps Ukrainian assaults on navy targets on the peninsula.

“Nuland belongs to a really broad camp of probably the most aggressive ‘hawks’ in American politics. This can be a perspective we all know effectively,” Peskov stated in feedback printed by the TASS information company.

5:41am: In assembly, Blinken warns China’s Wang Yi towards aiding Russia in Ukraine

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday warned prime Chinese language diplomat Wang Yi of penalties ought to China present materials help to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying in an interview after the 2 met that Washington was involved Beijing was contemplating supplying weapons to Moscow.

The highest diplomats of the 2 superpowers met at an undisclosed location on the sidelines of a worldwide safety convention in Munich, simply hours after Wang scolded Washington as “hysterical” in a operating dispute over the US downing of a suspected Chinese language spy balloon.

5:19am: US seeks Ukraine disaster with claims of crimes towards humanity, says Russian envoy 

Russia‘s US ambassador accused the United States of making an attempt to justify its personal actions in fomenting the disaster in Ukraine with allegations of Russian crimes towards humanity, TASS state information company stated on Sunday.

“We regard such insinuations as an unprecedented try and demonise Russia within the framework of the hybrid struggle unleashed towards us,” Ambassador Anatoly Antonov was quoted as saying.

“There isn’t a doubt that the aim of such assaults by Washington is to justify its personal actions to gasoline the Ukrainian disaster.”

9:10pm: Macron says Russia have to be defeated however not ‘crushed’

French President Emmanuel Macron stated in an interview launched Saturday that he needed Russia to be defeated in its struggle with Ukraine, however didn’t wish to see the nation “crushed”.

“I’m satisfied that, ultimately, this won’t conclude militarily,” he informed two French newspapers and broadcaster France Inter. However whereas he needed Russia’s defeat, he didn’t share the place of those that needed to see the nation crushed.

“I don’t suppose, as some individuals do, that we should goal for a complete defeat of Russia, attacking Russia by itself soil. These observers wish to, above all else, crush Russia. That has by no means been the place of France and it’ll by no means be our place,” Macron stated.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)