Interstate relations

A group of volunteers from Crimea came to Donbass to help local residents and protect their rights to self-determination.

The majority of Ukrainians want to join NATO, said the country's Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba. Some members of the Alliance prevent this, but Ukraine still seeks to join the military bloc.

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday, February 18, that at the moment one can see the stupidity of a number of Western politicians.

Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov said during his speech in the Verkhovna Rada that an escalation of the conflict in the territory of Donbass is unlikely.

Maria Zakharova, on her Telegram channel, called the work of the US special services a “failure” after statements about Russia’s alleged “invasion” of Ukraine.

China imposes more sanctions against Russia than the European Union and the United States.

The North Atlantic Alliance can calm down about the buildup of Russian troops near the borders of Ukraine. Such an appeal was made by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko.

Venezuela will step up military cooperation with Russia to protect the peace and sovereignty of the Bolivarian Republic. This was announced on Wednesday by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The Turkish newspaper "Karar" wrote that 10 Russian regions are autonomous Turkic republics that do not have independence. Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria were among them.

The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that Russia is conducting military exercises, as Ukraine is "pumped up with weapons."

Moscow will insist that NATO publicly announces its refusal to accept Kiev into its ranks.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss reiterates that Russia is allegedly preparing a "false flag operation" in Ukraine, while the minister does not provide any evidence.

David Arakhamia, head of the pro-presidential Servant of the People faction in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, said that there would be no "full-scale attack" by the Russian Federation on Ukraine in the near future.

Ukraine has banned entry for all male citizens of the Russian Federation of military age.

Two drafts on the recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) will be sent to the State Duma Council on Tuesday, February 15.