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1:43 p.m. : The foreign ministers of the G7 countries will hold a meeting on Saturday devoted to the crisis between Ukraine and Russia, announced a spokesman for the German government. The head of German diplomacy, Annalena Baerbock, will chair this meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
1:31 p.m. : French nationals are not invited to leave the territory, but the ambassador has asked them to prepare their papers and make reservations in case diplomatic efforts fail. But there, some expatriates are determined to stay even in the event of a Russian invasion. “My life is here” : they testify to franceinfo.
(MAXPPP)
1:29 p.m. : What are the contents not to be missed today on our site?
• Concerts, masks, passes… We take stock on the timetable for lifting the measures taken to curb the epidemic.
• How do the candidates position themselves on the Ukrainian crisis? Responnse in this article.
• “I thought it was possible”, tell, in tearsClément Noël after his victory in the slalom.
12:50 p.m. : Two months before the first round of the presidential election, it is difficult to ignore the Ukrainian crisis. The contenders for the Elysée stand out from each other by promising to adopt an attitude more or less close to Washington or Moscow. Here are the positions of each.
12:00 p.m. : Ding dong, it’s noon, here are the titles:
• The obligation to wear a mask in business or at school could end “mid-March”, declared the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, on this day ofeasing of restrictions in discos, bars, stadiums, cinemas and transport.
• Despite its announcements of troop withdrawals, Russia “continues to strengthen its military presence” on the borders with Ukraine, according to NATO. “Equipment and capabilities remain in place”deplores the Atlantic Alliance, claiming “a real withdrawal”.
• European justice has validated a system linking the payment of EU funds to respect for the rule of law, inflicting a setback on Poland and Hungary, who now face sanctions. This judgment, denounced by Warsaw and Budapest, is “good news”according to Paris.
• France now has four gold medals at the Beijing Winter Games, after the title of olympic slalom champion won this morning by the Vosges skier Clément Noël. With 13 podiums to their credit, the Blues consolidate their tenth place in the medal table.
10:43 am : The Kremlin denies any involvement in the cyberattacks in Ukraine which targeted several official military websites and two public banks yesterday. “Russia has nothing to do with any cyberattacks”swears the Russian presidency.
10:40 a.m. : “We have not seen any de-escalation on the ground at this stage. On the contrary, it appears that Russia continues to strengthen its military presence.”
Despite announcements of partial withdrawals from Moscow, NATO believes that “Russia can still invade Ukraine without warning”because “capacities are in place”with more than 100,000 soldiers deployed.
10:43 am : NATO accuses Russia of “strengthen its military presence” on the border with Ukraine.
10:11 a.m. : In the event of a Russian-Ukrainian conflict, could we do without Russian gas? “We are safe for this winter”said the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, after her services “examined the hypotheses of a partial or complete shutdown of Russian gas supplies”.
10:05 a.m. : “Not a single soldier, not a single piece of equipment will remain on the territory of Belarus after holding maneuvers with Russia.”
Minsk assures that Russian troops are not intended to remain massed on its border with Ukraine, while this deployment has contributed to fears of an invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
(EYE PRESS NEWS/AFP)
10:23 : Belarus ensures that “not a single soldier” Russia will only remain on its soil after the joint military exercises scheduled until Sunday.
09:01 : It’s 9 a.m., let’s take a look at the news:
• Sacred olympic slalom champion, the skier Clément Noël offered a fourth gold medal to the French delegation at the Winter Games in China. We are now following the ladies’ relay in biathlon, with the hope of a 14th podium for the tricolors. Follow our live.
• The obligation to wear a mask in business or at school could end “in mid-March”, declared the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, on this day of lifting of new restrictions in discos, bars, stadiums, cinemas and transport,
• The day after Moscow announced a “partial withdrawal” troops massed on the Ukrainian borders, Russia reported the departure of another part of its forces, which “completed their tactical exercises” in the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.
• Thanks to a last-minute feat from Kylian Mbappé, PSG have achieved a deserved success against Real Madrid (1-0), last night, in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League. Argentinian Lionel Messi missed a penalty for the Parisians earlier.
08:17 : Why a “day of unity” today? The date was chosen in response to reports from US intelligence services which suggested in recent days that the Russian invasion of the country could begin on February 16.
08:15 : Meanwhile, Ukraine celebrates a “day of unity”. At the call of President Volodymyr Zelensky, the inhabitants are invited to hang their national flag or display its blue and yellow colors, as a sign of patriotism and refusal to “the panic” against threats of invasion.
(EyePress/AFP)
08:18 : New gesture of appeasement from Moscow? Russia announces the departure of some of its forces which had gone to the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, where they “completed their tactical exercises”.
08:04 : “I think President Macron’s visit to Moscow marked the end of the escalation.”
On France Inter, the head of European diplomacy calls for “to remain vigilant” despite the announcement of the withdrawal of part of the Russian forces near the Ukrainian border. “Can we say that this is the beginning of the de-escalation? Yes, maybe, we have to see. Russia is playing with cold and hot.”
06:55 : While the caterpillar restarts in French boxes, the caterpillars of Russian tanks at the gates of Ukraine make Europe shiver. Some of your dailies devote their front page to “withdrawal partiel” announced by Moscow, welcomed with caution in the Western camp.
06:09 : Here are the first titles of this Wednesday, February 16:
• Thanks to the decline of the fifth wave, the government lifts new restrictions from today. It is possible to return to discotheques, to consume standing up in bars or to eat and drink in stadiums, cinemas and transport.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed a “partial withdrawal” troops massed on the Ukrainian borders. It is “a first encouraging signal”greeted Emmanuel Macron, even if, according to the United States, “An invasion remains quite possible”.
• Nicolas Bay, spokesperson for Marine Le Pen’s campaign, has been suspended from his duties within the National Rally. The party accuses him of having transmitted confidential information to Eric Zemmoura “sabotage” disputed by the accused.
• Thanks to a last-minute feat from Kylian Mbappé, PSG have achieved a deserved success against Real Madrid (1-0), last night, in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League. Argentinian Lionel Messi missed a penalty for the Parisians earlier.