Zelensky: No need for foreign allied forces
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denies Ukraine's need for direct military intervention in its territory and stresses his need for military and logistical assistance.
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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed Thursday that his country had "no need" for foreign allied forces to face down an alleged Russian "invasion", warning that their presence might only exacerbate tensions.
"We have no need for soldiers with foreign flags on our territory. We are not asking for that. Otherwise, the entire world would be destabilized," the Ukrainian president told the RBK Ukraine website.
"We do not want to give any additional reason for Russia to say we have (foreign) bases here that they need to 'defend' themselves against," he pointed out.
"But we want everything else," Zelensky added in reference to funding and arms delivered from Ukraine's Western allies.
Some NATO powers, including Britain, have withdrawn or started withdrawing military personnel they had stationed in Ukraine to train the country's armed forces.
Biden: Risk of Russian "invasion" is very high
On Wednesday, Zelensky claimed he did not witness the withdrawal of Russian troops from his country's borders, noting that Ukraine's borders were "under control".
For his part, US President Joe Biden warned that "the risk of a Russian invasion of Ukraine is very high," adding that a diplomatic solution with Russia to the Ukrainian crisis is still possible.
In a press conference, he stated that a Russian invasion could happen "in the coming days," noting that he had "no intention" of contacting his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Zakharova: US running a media campaign
NATO and several Western countries have accused Russia in recent months of preparing an "attack in Ukraine," based on allegations that Russia has increased the number of its soldiers in areas near the Ukrainian border to 125,000 people.
For its part, Moscow rejects all these accusations, noting that the transfer of its forces in its territory is an internal matter.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, accused the United States of "running the media campaign about the so-called (the imminent Russian invasion) of Ukraine."
