Ukraine: Increases army, "but does not mean war is imminent"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today signed a decree providing for an increase in the size of the country's armed forces by 100.000 members over the next three years and an increase in the salaries of soldiers, but stressed that this does not mean that a war with Russia is imminent.

Speaking in parliament, Zelensky called on lawmakers to remain calm and united, not to panic and not to take advantage of the confrontation with Russia for political gain.

"This decree was prepared not because we will soon have a war (…) but to have peace in Ukraine in the near future," he said.

"We must be united in domestic politics. "You may be in opposition to the government, but not to Ukraine," he told lawmakers.

At the same time, the Ukrainian president expressed his satisfaction for the diplomatic and military support that his country receives, the most important since 2014, as he stated.

"Diplomatic support to Ukraine is the most important and absolute since 2014 and continues. "Military and technical assistance to Ukraine is the most important, the most valuable and it is still arriving," Zelensky said, as many leaders are expected in Kiev this week.

The Prime Ministers of Britain and Poland, Boris Johnson and Matthew Morawiecki, are expected in Kiev today. Later in the week, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Ukraine. The foreign ministers of five European countries, including France and Germany, are scheduled to visit Kiev next week.

Zelensky also noted that Ukraine is working "actively" to organize a new meeting to resolve the crisis in the eastern part of the country with the leaders of Russia, France and Germany in the framework of the Normandy.

Russia has been accused by Westerners of gathering tens of thousands of troops on its border with neighboring Ukraine in anticipation of a possible invasion.

Moscow denies any military intentions, but sets out a list of demands it deems necessary for any de-escalation, which it deems necessary in order to guarantee its security, especially the assurance that Ukraine will never join NATO.

Washington has rejected the request, but has left the door open for talks on other security issues, such as the development of missiles or the reciprocal restriction of military exercises.