Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed frustration during the Munich Security Conference on Saturday amid the growing fears of a Russian invasion of his nation, urging concerned parties to address the crisis through diplomacy.
In his speech, Zelensky proposed conducting a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who reportedly oversees Moscow's military drills with Belarus near the Ukrainian border.
The Ukrainian chief executive said he wants to know the demands of the Russian Federation and why he is pushing to "sit down and speak" with Putin at any platform, per NPR report.
"What is the point of us shooting and proposing diplomacy at the same time?" Zelenksiy said. "All we care about is peace."
Putin has yet to respond to the call for diplomatic talks as of present writing.
Zelensky also remarked that the international security architecture is "almost broken" and "no longer work"; thus, he urged UN Security Council, permanent members, Germany, and Turkey to discuss working on establishing new security guarantees for Ukraine.
Zelensky said that the agreements decades ago are no longer effective against new threats, describing them as "cough syrup when you need a coronavirus vaccine."
VP Harris Warns Russia of Serious Sanctions
United States Vice President Kamala Harris underscored in the Munich Security Conference that the Western alliance is facing a "defining moment" in the crisis in Ukraine. According to the New York Times, she also issued a warning on Russian leaders that the US and its allies will impose sanctions not only on financial institutions and technology exports but also on those "who aid and direct this unprovoked invasion."
Harris pointed out that despite Russia's claim that it is "ready for talks," its military movements along Ukraine's borders is part of a familiar "playbook" wherein Moscow "will plead ignorance and innocence" and will make "false pretext for invasion" then it will gather its troops and military hardware "plain sight."
"Their actions simply do not match their words," Vice President Harris said.
Russia Fires Missiles During Military Drills
Meanwhile, the strategic nuclear forces of Russia conducted exercises while its troops on Ukraine's border seemingly 'poised to strike,' according to United States intelligence reports.
The Kremlin said in a statement that its "strategic deterrence forces exercise" involved launching of ballistic and cruise missiles, personally overseen by Putin in a situation room in Kremlin on Saturday, Reuters reported.
Russia explained that the military drills aimed to "check the readiness" of control and command structures and crews involved in combat launches, combat ships, and strategic missile carriers. It is also conducted to examine the dependability of strategic nuclear and non-nuclear troops.
Media reports indicate that the Ukraine-Russia border tensions are still high. In a conflict zone in eastern Ukraine, officials and foreign journalists had to flee to a bomb shelter after an attack. No injuries were reported, per ABC News.
In the Luhansk region, Russian-led forces fired shots on a checkpoint where a convoy of humanitarian aid from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees passed through, according, to Lt. Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhniy, Commander in Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces.
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