WASHINGTON, January 7. /TASS/. The authorities of the United States call on all countries enjoying close relations with Russia to exert their constructive influence on Moscow in order to de-escalate tensions around Ukraine, US State Department Spokesman Ned Price said at his daily press briefing.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a telephone conversation with acting Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Tleuberdi on Thursday and the American official pointed during the talks to the importance of the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Asked by a correspondent at the daily press briefing on Thursday, if there is a "…response was when the Secretary [of State Blinken] raised the issue of Russian troop buildups near Ukraine with the Kazakhs, considering they have asked for Russian presence in their country," Price said that "You have noticed that in recent weeks we have engaged with a wide variety of allies and partners on our deep concerns regarding Russia’s military buildup near the borders with Ukraine and Russia’s possible intentions vis-·-vis Ukraine."
"We have done this, of course, in the context of our NATO Allies, of our European partners, but we have also done it with countries - with other partners, countries who are in the region and those who are a bit further afield," Price said.
"So obviously, when it comes to Kazakhstan this was part of a conversation," he continued. "The Government of Kazakhstan has a relationship with the Russian Federation, and of course, we have encouraged all governments that have a relationship with the Russian Federation to use their influence constructively to encourage Moscow to choose the path of diplomacy and de-escalation that the President has set out so that the alternative path that the President has set out, a path of deterrence and a path of strong measures should Russia move forward with additional aggression against Ukraine - so that we do not have to choose that path."
There has been a flurry of statements in the West and Kiev lately that Russia could invade Ukraine. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said they were unsubstantiated escalation and that Russia doesn’t threaten anyone. At the same time, he didn’t rule out provocations to corroborate these Western statements and warned that the use of force to resolve the crisis in southeastern Ukraine will have serious consequences.
Peskov has also stated that Russia was doing its best to help Ukraine in settling the conflict, while holding on to the Normandy Format and the Minsk agreements.
Situation in Kazakhstan
A state of emergency has been declared all across Kazakhstan over mass protests that erupted in the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the Mangistau region in the country’s southwest on January 2 where residents protested against fuel price hikes. Two days later, riots erupted in Almaty (in the country’s southeast) where police used stun grenades to disperse crowds and also in other cities, in particular, in Atyrau and Aktobe (in the west), Uralsk (in the northwest), Taraz, Shymkent and Kyzylorda (in the south), Karaganda (in the northeast) and even in the capital of Nur-Sultan.
On January 5, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dismissed the government. Its members continue discharging their duties until a new Cabinet is approved.