How global leaders are pushing for a diplomatic solution to Russia-Ukraine crisis

The United States and the United Kingdom have repeatedly cautioned in recent days that Russia is about to launch a military invasion of Ukraine, a claim that Moscow denies. 

 

As the mounting tensions over Ukraine have left several leaders tearing up their schedules, here's a look at how various countries are trying to convince Russia to engage in negotiations and avoid a 'reckless and catastrophic invasion'.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who was the first leader of a major Western power to meet Vladimir Putin since Russia massed troops near Ukraine, held a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart on February 20. The two leaders had an in-depth discussion of the developments around Ukraine.  

 

In a follow-up to the talks during Macron's February 7 visit to Moscow and regular telephone conversations, the two leaders expressed serious concerns due to the quickly deteriorating situation along the contact line in Donbass.

 

Macron's office said that it was the French President who pitched Biden and Putin on a summit over 'security and strategic stability in Europe'.

Emmanuel Macron had also shuttled from Moscow to Kyiv on February 8 and had met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a high-profile bid to act as a mediator.

Joe Biden also had a telephone conversation with Putin on February 12. During the call that lasted for over an hour, the US President stressed that every effort needs to be taken to avoid the worst scenario as concerns the current situation around Ukraine.

 

Biden also talked about the experience of his predecessors who made every effort during the Cold War to avoid the catastrophe of a serious military conflict between the US and Russia.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson also talked to Putin over a phone call on February 2 and exchanged views on the internal crisis in Ukraine.

 

Johnson told his Russian counterpart that any further incursion into Ukrainian territory would be a tragic miscalculation.  

 

"Dialogue and diplomacy is the only way forward," he said.

Boris Johnson also visited Ukraine and met President Volodymyr Zelensky. He told him that the UK is a 'firm and enduring' ally of Ukraine and a supporter of Ukraine's territorial sovereignty and integrity.

 

"It is vital that Russia steps back and chooses a path of diplomacy," Johnson said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also visited Russia on February 15 and met Putin. He saw 'scope for more diplomacy' to avert a war between Russia and Ukraine after four hours of talks with Putin.  

 

"My visit is taking place during a crisis, the most serious and threatening crisis in many decades in Europe," he had told reporters after meeting the Russian President.  

 

Scholz's one-day trip following a visit to Kyiv was also part of a Western effort to try to prevent a possible attack.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned that if Russia invades Ukraine, it "would in principle be cut off from the international financial markets" and be cut off from major European exports.

It is noteworthy that the Russian government did not send a representative to this year's Munich Security Conference, an event held between February 18 and February 20.  

 

The conference, known as "Davos for defence", brings together the world's defence and security elite in Germany and came at a sensitive time, with several leaders speaking on an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine.  

 

Various countries are also preparing sanctions they say would be wide-reaching against Russian companies and individuals in case of an invasion.

Even though Moscow denies any intention to invade, the nerves have been further frayed when the Belarusian defence ministry announced on February 20 that Russia would extend military drills in Belarus that were due to end on Sunday.

 

The Kremlin has tens of thousands of troops staging exercises in Belarus, north of Ukraine.

 

The Russian-backed leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, had also met Putin on February 18.