Russia Signals Openness to Diplomacy Despite US Warning of Potential Invasion This Week
Summary from the AllSides News Team
In a televised meeting on Monday, Russian leaders signaled openness to diplomacy despite reports that Russia could invade Ukraine as soon as Wednesday.
“We warn against endless discussions on issues that need to be resolved today,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, adding that “there is always a chance” for successful negotiations. The public remarks came amid ongoing negotiations with Western diplomats. On Friday and Saturday, multiple outlets reported that U.S. intelligence suspected Russia would invade on Feb. 16. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to the reports on Monday by declaring Feb. 16 a “day of unity.” Furthermore, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Monday that the State Department would temporarily relocate its embassy operations in Ukraine to Lviv, near the country’s western border.
Coverage of the Russia/Ukraine crisis was widespread across the spectrum on Monday. Outlets on both sides offered varying assessments of the situation; Fox News (Right) highlighted a Russian “foreign policy insider” who suggested Russia did not want to invade, and a tagline on a Washington Examiner (Lean Right) article said diplomacy appeared to be “delaying the inevitable.” The New York Times (Lean Left) highlighted the potential implications for global oil prices.
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