Dmytro Kuleba: Diplomacy works, restrains Russia's aggressive intentions

That’s according to Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, who spoke on the air of 1+1 TV on February 8, Ukrinform reports.

"Diplomacy works, restraining Russia's aggressive intentions. When I visited the European Union in November, I told my partners that we now need a comprehensive deterrence package for Russia. We proposed three elements: proactive diplomacy, tough sanctions, and military assistance to Ukraine. Over these few months, we have addressed all three key tasks," Dmytro Kuleba stressed.

Regarding the first level of the deterrence package, the minister stressed that proactive diplomacy has been already in place over the past weeks, turning Kyiv into a center of international politics. Regarding the second level, he announced the completion of preparations for sanctions by the United States and European allies.

“Sanctions already exist, Russia is aware that they exist, and Russia is aware that they are significant. An important nuance here: even after this escalation is resolved, the prepared package of sanctions will remain in place and loom over Russia like a Damocles sword in the future,” the minister said.

Dmytro Kuleba concluded that the third level of the deterrence package, military assistance to Ukraine, is also being actively implemented. Evidence of this is more than a thousand tonnes of security aid, defensive weapons, equipment, and ammunition that have already been supplied to Ukraine by its partners.

"This is not the reaction Putin expected, and it all works as a powerful deterrent," the top diplomat said.

im