Ukraine asks West to tone down ‘panic’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized the “slightly imbalanced” coverage of the situation surrounding his country exhibited by some Western politicians and media. He was speaking to foreign reporters during a major press conference on Friday.
The former entertainer particularly emphasised his concerns about press coverage, and political statements, concerning an alleged Russian military build up near his country's frontier.
“Today we are not seeing any greater escalation than it has been before. Yes, the number of servicemen has increased, but I spoke about that at the beginning of 2021 when they talked about the military exercises of the Russian Federation,” Zelensky stated.
“From media coverage, it looks like we are at war already, that troops are already on the road, that there's mobilization, people going somewhere. It's not the case. We don’t need this panic.”
Overhyping the tensions around Ukraine has already had a heavy impact on its economy, Zelensky insisted. Billions have been withdrawn from the country, in recent times, he added, without specifying whether he was referring to the domestic Grivna currency, or those of foreign nations.
The president also touched upon phone talks with his US counterpart Joe Biden, which took place earlier in the day. Zelensky dismissed media reports that they didn't go well, insisting that that there were no disagreements with the US president.
“We do not have any misunderstanding with the president of the United States. Simply, I deeply understand what is happening in my country, and he understands well what is going on in the US,” Zelensky explained.
At the same time, the Ukrainian leader admitted that he might have some secrets to keep from Biden.
I think that as the president of an independent country, I can have my own secrets, just like the president of the US.
