Amid looming invasion, Ukraine proposes trilateral meet with Biden, Putin, Zelensky

Amid soaring tension between Russia and the United States over the Ukraine issue, an official close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asserted his country has proposed a three-way talk between the trio. Notably, the proposal came as the United States, Russia, and Ukraine have been at loggerheads amid reports of Russian troops buildup along the Ukraine border.

According to the US intelligence reports, over one lakh Russian troops are pressed near the Ukraine border by Vladimir Putin and the forces have reportedly made all preparations to "invade Ukraine" this year-- a report that Putin denied on multiple occasions. 

While speaking to Atlantic Council think tank in Washington, head of the Ukrainian president’s office, Andriy Yermak, said his office has already a proposal to President Joe Biden his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and  President Zelensky. According to Yermak, the mode of the trilateral meeting is not yet decided but asserted possibilities that the meeting would be held virtually. "We are still waiting for the reaction on this, I think, from the Russian side. But our American partners take our proposal with some interest," he told the Atlantic Council.

Joe Biden and Putin had a telephonic call last month

Meanwhile, Andriy Yermak-- a key part of Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts, applauded the Biden administration for assisting his country and also thanked the US for briefing Ukraine regularly. It is worth mentioning Biden and Putin in December last year held a 30-minute telephonic conversation over Russia's troop buildup near Ukraine. According to the statement released by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on President Biden’s Phone Call, two leaders spoke frankly for nearly an hour amid growing alarm over Russia's troop buildup near Ukraine. During the conversation, President Biden warned his Russian counterpart of imposing sanctions if he tried to invade or destabilise the incumbent Ukraine government.

"President Biden urged Russia to de-escalate tensions with Ukraine. He made clear that the United States and its allies and partners will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine," read the statement released by Psaki.
Meanwhile, replying to President Biden, Putin said such a move by the United States could lead to a complete rupture of ties between the nations. "Further US sanctions would be a colossal mistake that would entail grave consequences," said Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, during a press conference held after the conversation between the two leaders.

Several Ukrainian websites under attack 

Meanwhile, on Friday, a number of Ukrainian government websites came under attack, Ukrainian officials confirmed to AP. Though the officials did not name Russia directly but added: "but there is a long record of Russian cyber assaults against Ukraine in the past."
The websites contained a message in Ukrainian, Russian and Polish, saying that Ukrainians’ personal data has been leaked into the public domain. "Be afraid and expect the worst. This is for your past, present and future," the message read, in part.

With inputs from AP

Image: AP