Ukraine crisis: Don't create panic, Zelensky tells West - BBC News

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the West not to create panic amid the build-up of Russian troops on his country's borders.

He told reporters that warnings of an imminent invasion were putting Ukraine's economy at risk.

On Thursday, US President Joe Biden said he believed Russia could attack its neighbour next month.

Russia, however, denies it is planning to invade and on Friday its foreign minister said Moscow did not want war.

While Russia has about 100,000 troops on Ukraine's borders, Mr Zelensky said he did not see a greater threat now than during a similar massing of troops last spring.

"There are signals even from respected leaders of states, they just say that tomorrow there will be war. This is panic - how much does it cost for our state?" he told the press conference in Kyiv.

Mr Zelensky also criticised the UK, US and Australian withdrawal of diplomats' families from Ukraine, saying it had been a mistake.

"The destabilisation of the situation inside the country" is the biggest threat to Ukraine, he said..bbc

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