The danger of a war between Ukraine and Russia is growing, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Deščica warned on Sunday, condemning the deployment of Russian forces on the eastern border of his country.
"It's growing (...) It's getting bigger," said the Ukrainian minister in response to a question from the American network ABC about the "danger" of a military conflict between Kiev and Moscow.
"The situation is more tense than seven days ago," warned Deščica, who made the statement in the Ukrainian capital and whose text was obtained by ABC television earlier.
"As things stand now, if Russian forces occupy Ukraine from the eastern regions, it will be difficult to ask the Ukrainians living there not to retaliate against that military invasion," the minister said.
He said that his country had taken "all diplomatic steps and other economic and financial sanctions to stop the Russians", but that Ukraine "does not know what (Russian President Vladimir Putin) thinks and what he will decide".
Thousands of Ukrainians came to Kiev on Sunday to express their concern that Russia in the east of the country could repeat its operation in Crimea.
Russian forces are ready to attack Ukraine "at any moment", said Secretary of the Ukrainian Council for State Security and Defense Andriy Parubiy from the podium on the Maidan, Independence Square in Kyiv.
Almost at the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Moscow "respects all international agreements on limiting the number of troops in the areas along the border with Ukraine."
Minister Sergei Shoigu said in a conversation with his American counterpart Chuck Hagel on March 20 that Moscow will not occupy the Russian-speaking east of Ukraine, according to the Pentagon.
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