All-out war with Russia 'is a possibility' Ukraine warns as Putin and Belarus alarm NATO with huge war games featuring 200,000 troops, months after military build-up on Ukraine's borders

  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made the comments at a summit on Friday
  • 'It's the worst thing that could happen, but unfortunately there is that possibility,' he said of war against Russia
  • Kyiv says the conflict in eastern Ukraine has killed 14,000 people since 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea
  • Zelenskiy's comments came a day after Russia, Belarus and other states began huge military exercises  
  • The huge military drills will involve 200,000 soldiers, at least 80 aircraft, more than 300 tanks and 15 ships   
  • Officials have said the exercises do not envisage specific nations as adversaries but should be 'signal' to West

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that all-out war with neighbouring Russia was a possibility, and that he wanted to have a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the mounting tensions between the nations.

Their torrid relationship took a turn for the worse earlier this year when fighting in eastern Ukraine intensified and Russia massed more troops near the border, seven years after Russia seized the Crimean Peninsula and backed pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

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When asked at the Yalta European Strategy (YES) summit if there could really be all out-war with Russia, Zelenskiy said: 'I think there can be.'

'It's the worst thing that could happen, but unfortunately there is that possibility,' he added, speaking in Ukrainian.

Kyiv says the conflict in eastern Ukraine has killed 14,000 people since 2014.

Meanwhile, Russia and Belarus have alarmed NATO with huge war games and military exercises featuring 200,000 troops, which comes mere months after the aforementioned increase of Russian forces near the Ukrainian border.

When asked at the Yalta European Strategy (YES) summit if there could really be all out-war with Russia, Zelenskiy said: 'I think there can be. It's the worst thing that could happen, but unfortunately there is that possibility,'
Zelenskiy said he has tried in vain to schedule a meeting with Putin (pictured) to discuss the ongoing conflict at their border and questioned the Russian president's commitment to keeping peace. 'Honestly, I don't have time to think about him,' Zelenskiy said.
Zelenskiy's comments at the YES summit on Friday came just one day after Russia and Belarus formally opened vast joint military drills as part of a week-long exercise across the territory of both countries and in the Baltic Sea that has alarmed some NATO countries

At the YES summit on Friday, Zelenskiy said he has tried in vain to schedule a meeting with Putin to discuss the ongoing conflict at their border and questioned the Russian president's commitment to keeping peace.

'Honestly, I don't have time to think about him,' Zelenskiy said.

'I'm more interested in whether we can really meet substantively, not declaratively as he does with some states.

'It seems to me that today... they do not see the sense in resolving issues. End the war and resolve conflict issues quickly - they don't want this.'   

Zelenskiy also said relations with the United States had improved, but bemoaned the fact that Ukraine had not received a clear answer to its request to join the NATO military alliance - a move that would be certain to infuriate Moscow.

'We have not received a direct position on Ukraine's accession to NATO,' he said. 'Ukraine has been ready for a long time.'

He said a refusal to admit Ukraine would weaken NATO while playing into Russia's hands.  

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Zelenskiy's comments at the YES summit on Friday came just one day after Russia and Belarus formally opened vast joint military drills as part of a week-long exercise across the territory of both countries and in the Baltic Sea that has alarmed some NATO countries.

The active part of the exercise, which comes at a time of heightened tensions between the West and Belarus due to a crackdown on the opposition there, began on Thursday and will run until September 16.  

Officials say the exercises do not envisage specific countries as adversaries.

But the chief of Belarus' general staff, Major-General Viktor Gulevich, said the exercises should be a 'signal' to the West of the 'futility' to taking 'a position of strength' with the two countries.  

The Russian defence ministry said up to 200,000 military personnel, some 80 aircraft and helicopters, up to 15 ships and nearly 300 tanks would take part. The drills will involve live fire and mark the culmination of a bigger three-month exercise.

The drills have alarmed NATO because Belarus is part of quasi buffer zone between Europe and Russia, bordering the country to the east. 

Russia and Belarus have alarmed NATO with huge war games featuring 200,000 troops and including servicemen from Collective Security Treaty Organisation states such as Kyrgyzstan (pictured, Kyrgyz soldiers)
In Putin's new challenge to the West, Belarus and Russia formally opened vast joint military drills with Kyrgyzstan and other states on Thursday, a week-long exercise across the territory of both countries and in the Baltic Sea that has alarmed some NATO countries
The mass military drills will involve live fire and mark the culmination of a bigger three-month exercise, in a move that has alarmed NATO
Russian soldiers prepare for huge joint war games with Belarus involving 200,000 troops, in a move that has alarmed NATO months after a military build-up by Ukraine nearly sparked a crisis
Russian military tank operators take part in an opening ceremony parade ahead of joint war games with Belarus. The active part of the exercise begins today and will run until September 16
Officials said the exercises do not envisage specific countries as adversaries, but called the  drills, which will include at least 15 naval ships (pictured, warships Zelenyi Dol and Mytishchi leaving port on Thursday), a 'signal' to the West
The drills have alarmed NATO because Belarus is part of quasi buffer zone between Europe and Russia, bordering the country to the east

Top military leaders from the two countries attended the opening ceremony of the war games, called 'Zapad-2021', in western Russia where flags were raised and speeches given. 

Military personnel from Armenia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia will participate too, the Russian defence ministry said.

NATO officials have warned that the drills, which follow a huge Russian military build-up on Ukraine's borders earlier this year, increase the risk of an accident or miscalculation that could touch off a crisis.

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Russian Deputy Defence Minister Nikolai Pankov said the drills were purely defensive in nature and would give Moscow and Minsk a chance to improve the way their respective militaries work together.  

A Kyrgyzstan's soldier shoots from a portable air-defence system during a joint military exercises with Belarus and Russia at the Edelweiss training ground near the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek
A Russian serviceman takes part in the joint military exercises with Russia, Belarus, and the Collective Security Treaty Organization on the Edelweiss training ground near Iissyk Kul lake
Kyrgyz servicemen attend the Collective Security Treaty Organization joint military exercises with Russia and Belarus on the Edelweiss training ground near Iissyk Kul lake
A Kyrgyz soldier takes cover during huge joint military drills with Russia and Belarus, in Putin's latest challenge to the West
Kyrgyzstan soldiers fire from an anti-aircraft weapon during a joint military exercises at the Edelweiss training ground,  near Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Russian servicemen take part in joint military drills with Belarus and other Collective Security Treaty Organisation states on September 9, in a move that has alarmed NATO
Russia has said the massive drills are purely defensive in nature and will give Moscow and Minsk a chance to improve the way their respective militaries work together (pictured, Russian troops parade ahead of the war games on Thursday)
Military personnel from Armenia, India, (pictured) Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia will participate in the war games, the Russian defence ministry said
Minsk has cosied up to Moscow in recent months, with Putin offering to send troops to Belarus to help quell large demonstrations that broke out in August 2020 following a dispute election that officials said gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office
NATO officials have warned that the drills, which will include at least 300 tanks, increase the risk of an accident or miscalculation that could touch off a crisis
A Kyrgyz BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system launches rockets during joint military exercises with Russia and Belarus

After large demonstrations broke out in Belarus in August 2020 following a disputed election that officials said gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office, Russia said it would be willing to send troops to Belarus if the country requested them.

The demonstrations persisted for months, but subsided in the winter as police harshly cracked down on protesters. Authorities have arrested and imprisoned prominent opposition figures and closed many independent media outlets.

Following the presidents' meeting on Thursday, Putin said conditions in Belarus had 'notably stabilised'.

And analysts say Minsk's involvement highlights increasingly close ties between it and Moscow. 

The Kremlin has proved a vital ally for Belarus after the West imposed sanctions on Minsk over a violent crackdown that followed a contested election which gave President Alexander Lukashenko his sixth term in office.

'Lukashenko has gone from not really being willing to participate [in the drills] back in 2017 to being one of the most boastful, in a way, about how important this exercise is in terms of the intimidation that it represents against the West,' said Mathieu Boulegue, a research fellow at the Chatham House think tank.

Thursday's ceremony coincided with talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko in the Kremlin, lasting nearly four hours. 

The pair announced that 28 programs strengthening integration were approved during the talks - including forming common energy and financial markets.

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The Kremlin has proved a vital ally for Belarus after the West imposed sanctions on Minsk over a violent crackdown that followed a contested election which gave President Alexander Lukashenko (pictured) his sixth term in office.
A Russian service member walks towards camouflaged armoured vehicles during huge joint military drills with Belarus
Kyrgyzstan's soldiers prepare an anti-aircraft weapon during joint military exercises that have alarmed NATO months after a military build-up by Ukraine nearly sparked a crisis
A Kyrgyzstan's soldier carries a portable air-defence system during mass military drills with Belarus and Russia being held across the countries' territories
Russian Deputy Defence Minister Nikolai Pankov said the drills were purely defensive in nature and would give Moscow and Minsk a chance to improve the way their respective airforces work together
An aircraft takes off at the start of huge joint war games between Belarus and Russia featuring 200,000 troops, months after a military build-up by Ukraine nearly sparked a crisis
NATO officials have warned that the drills, which follow a huge Russian military buildup on Ukraine's borders earlier this year, increase the risk of an accident or miscalculation that could touch off a crisis
Aircraft take off at the start of  huge joint war games between Belarus and Russia featuring 200,000 troops, months after a military build-up by Ukraine nearly sparked a crisis
Russian warships left port on Thursday ahead of massive war games being staged by the Baltic Fleet as part of joint drills with Belarus
A Russian military vessel sails ahead of naval drills near the Baltic Sea town of Baltiysk in the Kaliningrad Region

The moves would bolster Belarus as it faces Western sanctions imposed in response to political repression after a disputed presidential election, and to its forced diversion of an airliner carrying a prominent opposition journalist. 

They would also give Russia a strengthened position in a country that acts as a buffer with NATO members. 

Putin and Lukashenko for nearly four hours and announced that 28 programs strengthening integration were approved. 

The programs fall under a 1999 union agreement that calls for close political, economic and military ties but stops short of a full merger.

Russia has buttressed Belarus' economy with cheap energy supplies and loans. 

But ties often have been strained, with Lukashenko scolding Moscow for trying to force him to relinquish control of prized economic assets and eventually abandon his country's independence.

The programs include establishing a single gas market by the end of 2023.

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