Ukraine tried to drag Germany into war against Russian Federation
- by Cecilia Wilkerson
- in World News
- — Dec 4, 2018
"We spoke standing up".
"I can only confirm that there really has not been a telephone conversation between Putin and Poroshenko since the incident".
Trump revealed his decision on Twitter on Thursday, November 29, by sharing the message, "Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russian Federation, I have decided it would be best for all parties concerned to cancel my previously scheduled meeting..."
Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko kept up the pressure from Kiev, saying Putin had refused to take his calls since the crisis started. "Yes, indeed, the talks haven't taken place, but this doesn't mean that we ceased all contacts", Putin said during a December 1 press conference in Argentina.
In an interview published Sunday, he alleged that Russian Federation intends to push inland into Ukraine following the recent naval clashes. "I have mine." He also reportedly spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.
November 29, Trump canceled the meeting with Putin, citing the incident in the Kerch Strait.
Mr Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov ruled out a formal meeting and said the best option now would be a conversation on the margins of an global summit.
An intelligence report by ImageSat International appears to show how Russia prepared the infrastructure for the S-400 battery over recent months, well before last weekend's naval encounters amid talk of a possible Russian invasion.
"Free shipping into the Sea of Azov to the Ukrainian coast and harbors must be ensured" by Russian Federation, she said. There is a basic contractual agreement from 2003 on this.
"The accusations against Russian Federation have no basis whatsoever", he said. Putin also said the Russian border guards did what they must do to protect the state border according to Russian law.
Ukraine's president says Russian Federation is building up land forces and weapons along its border with Ukraine as tensions between the two countries flares in the wake of a recent naval clash in the Black Sea.
An hour later, at 10:24 p.m. on Sunday night, Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser condemned the attack by Russian Federation against Ukrainian naval vessels in the Kerch Strait and called on Russian Federation to release the vessels seized by it.
As for Macron, "the main message that he passed on is really that of a de-escalation", the aide said.
"The current Ukrainian leadership is not interested in resolving this at all", Putin claimed.
The neighbours have also clashed in recent days after Russian Federation seized Ukrainian ships and sailors in the countries' first open military confrontation since Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014.
