Vladimir Putin could still step back from creating the biggest war in Europe since 1939, world leaders said, even as Russian tanks and artillery were seen clustering near the border with Ukraine, and Russian armies carried out large scale activities in Belarus that analysts fear could be the precursor to conflict.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, addressed the country and pleaded for calm, encouraging his country’s 44 million people to wave banners from their homes in what he termed a national day of unity, and at 10 am all to sing the national anthem in a display of solidarity and strength.
Volodymyr Zelensky’s team also attempted to de-emphasise the president’s earlier suggestions that Vladimir Putin had decided to invade, with adviser Mykhailo Podoliak saying that Zelensky wasn’t being literal when he said that the attack would be on Wednesday.
The 44-year-old ex comedian was being ironic, Mykhailo Podoliak said and was referring to media reports that said Wednesday had been determined by Moscow.
Zelensky said he was told that Wednesday would be the day of the invasion as he declared the national day of unity.
He also promised to boost funding of military service personnel, accelerate the development of defences and create an information strategy to inform citizens of the security situation.
Yet while Zelensky endeavoured to reassure his nervy nation, world authorities were frantically engaged in last-minute diplomacy, in a bid to stave off conflict.
Boris Johnson, Britain’s prime minister, said Europe’s on the edge of a precipice, but added, that there’s still time for President Vladimir Putin to step back.
France’s foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, told French television that all elements were in place for a strong Russian offensive, but nothing indicated that Vladimir Putin had chosen to launch one.
Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, was in Kiev on Monday, and flies to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, and said that the Russian leader shouldn’t underestimate the resolve of Ukraine’s allies.
He said that if Russia violates the territorial integrity of Ukraine again, they know what to do and that in the event of military escalation, they will be prepared for extremely far-reaching and effective sanctions in coordination with their allies.
He said there are no sensible reasons for the buildup of more than 130,000 Russian troops on Ukraine’s borders to the north, south and east and he urged more discussion.
And if war does break out, will Boris Johnson send our young men and women into battle, for a problem that’s none of our business?
The difference this time is that there doesn’t seem to be an element of surprise, that’s gone, and whether Vladimir Putin strikes or not, Ukraine will have a steady supply of cutting-edge weapons that will result in significant and continued casualties which might ultimately compel the Russians to rebellion.
However, there’s extremely little chance that Vladimir Putin will back down because you have two egotists puffing up their chests, one smart, savvy and brutal, the other, a senile incompetent, fumbling clown with a trigger temper with no national pride, who treats his citizens like insects and Vladimir Putin will risk anything to keep looking like the big shot, which is rather easy when Joe Biden is the competition.
Although Joe Biden isn’t running anything, it’s his handlers that are in charge and he’s President in name only. Joe Biden is just an instrument who’s too dense to comprehend he’s being used to do a bunch of nasty things so he can take credit for it, and all the people need to do is treat him like he’s the President and he won’t give two diddley’s.
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 