Ukraine calls on West to be ‘vigilant and firm’ in Russia talks
Al JazeeraWestern leaders are scrambling to defuse the crisis by reaching out to President Putin while also warning of sanctions. Russian naval exercises off Ireland Meanwhile, Moscow’s ambassador to Ireland said his country will not conduct naval exercises in international waters in the Irish Sea next week following a request from the Irish government to relocate the operation. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the plans were not welcome, particularly at a time when the United States and other Western allies fear Russia could be preparing to invade Ukraine after amassing more than 100,000 soldiers near its borders. Russia, which denies it is planning an invasion of its neighbour, decided to relocate the naval exercises as a “gesture of goodwill” to Dublin and Irish fishing groups, Ambassador Yury Filatov said in a statement. “The US and NATO responses did not take into account Russia’s fundamental concerns, including preventing NATO’s expansion,” Putin said, according to the Kremlin’s readout of the call.