Biden blinks first over Ukraine crisis
He orders US warships to steer clear amid fears of Putin invasion
Joe Biden appeared to blink first in his confrontation with Vladimir Putin over Ukraine by turning around two US warships bound for Russia’s coast.
The USS Donald Cook and USS Roosevelt, armed with state-of-the-art guided missiles and torpedoes, had been destined to launch patrols of the Black Sea to deter a Russian invasion of its neighbour.
But the destroyers, which were due to arrive any day, have received fresh orders to steer clear of the region – leaving the White House open to claims it backed down in the face of Kremlin intimidation.
Ukraine’s top diplomat yesterday pleaded for stronger Western backing, saying ‘words of support aren’t enough’ amid escalating tensions in the country’s east and a Russian troop build-up across the border.
The deployment of the destroyers appeared to demonstrate that Nato was prepared to offer military support to Ukraine following the arrival of 80,000 Russian combat troops, artillery and tanks on its eastern border.
The US Navy ships, belonging to the Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroyers, had been expected to spend the next three weeks shadowing Russian vessels which are conducting ‘combat readiness checks’ ahead a possible invasion of Ukraine.
The move also appeared to aggravate Moscow as deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov urged the warships to stay away ‘for their own good’ and warned the risk of a conflict at sea would be high. The Kremlin welcomed the re- deployment of the warships but said it was ‘premature to talk about de-escalation of tensions’.
Turkey said the US embassy had informed it that the destroyers would no longer be crossing the Turkish Straits [the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus] from the Aegean. Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said: ‘Words of support aren’t enough, we need practical assistance.’
But the US did announce it was expelling ten Russian diplomats and imposing financial sanctions on 38 companies, entities and individuals it accuses of taking part in cyber warfare campaigns against America and attempting to interfere in US elections.
Kiev fears a Russian invasion of its eastern provinces and Crimea – territories the Kremlin previously seized, illegally, in 2014. Fighting with Russiabacked separatists is intensifying. Video from inside Ukraine appeared to show armaments on the move south to Mariupol, on the edge of the rebel-held areas.
Yesterday the top US general in europe, Tod Wolters, said he saw a ‘low to medium’ risk that Russia would invade Ukraine over the next few weeks. It came as Ukraine accused boats from Russia’s FSB security service of trying to obstruct its navy in the Sea of Azov.
european Council president Charles Michel offered the 27nation bloc’s ‘unwavering support’ for Ukraine. More than 14,000 people have died in seven years of fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists. Russia says the build-up of troops is a response to security threats posed by Nato.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: ‘The UK will continue to work with allies to expose Russia’s malign behaviour where we see it.’
‘Russia’s malign behaviour’