Ukrainian officials see an intensification of Russian military aggression as “inevitable,” a senior U.S. diplomat said amid spars with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy at the United Nations Security Council.
“We have worked with the Ukrainians, at their request, to provide assistance to them so that they can prepare for what they see as inevitable,” said U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Monday at a Security Council meeting, referring to the influx of military assistance to Ukraine in recent weeks. “That is so that they can be prepared.”
Thomas-Greenfield’s characterization of Ukrainian assessments contradicted Russia’s attempt to portray the current tensions as a product of Western melodrama, although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has tried to project calm in public. Russian and Chinese officials cited Zelensky’s posture to justify the claim that the United States is fomenting the crisis, but a Russian bid to cancel the meeting on Monday failed by a vote of 10-2, with three abstentions.
“Russia has assembled a massive military force of more than 100,000 troops along Ukraine’s border,” Thomas-Greenfield said. “These are combat forces and special forces prepared to conduct offensive actions into Ukraine. This is the largest … mobilization of troops in Europe in decades. And as we speak, Russia is sending even more forces and arms to join them.”
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia argued that because the troops remain in Russian territory, U.S. rebukes are “unacceptable interference” in Russian affairs and an attempt to paint a false picture of Russian threats against Ukraine.
“The discussions about a threat of war is provocative in and of itself,” Nebenzia said, according to a U.N. interpreter. “You are almost calling for this; you want it to happen. You’re waiting for it to happen as if you want to make your words become a reality.”
Zelensky complained last week that Western media outlets are creating a sense of “panic” about war, but he acknowledged the threat from Russia.
“I don’t consider the situation now more tense than before,” he said. “I am not saying an escalation is not possible … [but] we don’t need this panic.”
In parallel, Ukrainian lawmakers sent a letter to U.S. Senate leaders requesting an expansion of military assistance in response to Russia “threaten[ing] our country with escalated aggression.” Nebenzia insisted that “Ukrainians are actively being brainwashed” to dislike Russia, citing Zelensky’s statements to deflect U.S. allegations.
“Ukraine as well is a country that our colleagues are prepared to sacrifice for their own nation’s interests,” the Russian envoy said. “Otherwise, it’s hard to explain why, in convening us today, the initiators of this meeting do not even heed the opinion of the president of Ukraine, who asked the West not to whip up panic, which has already had a harmful impact on the economic situation in the country.”
Yet, Zelensky’s envoy at the meeting echoed the U.S. assessment that Russia presents a clear threat of violence against Ukraine.
“Today we have heard from the Russian side that they do not intend to launch the war against my country — although one should rather [say] ’to launch a new phase for the Russian aggression,’” said Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya, referring to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. “We still lack credible explanations by Russia of its actions and military movements. Based on experience, we cannot believe Russian declarations but only practical moves on withdrawal of troops from the border.”
Thomas-Greenfield urged Russia to “choose a different path: the path of diplomacy.” However, the alignment of Russia and China, both of whom wield the power to veto any resolution of the Security Council, precluded any formal move by the panel.
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“If Russia further invades Ukraine, none of us will be able to say we didn’t see it coming,” she said. “What would it mean for the world if former empires had license to start reclaiming territory by force? This would set us down a dangerous path.”
