Ukraine's leader asks West not to stir 'panic' over Russia

KIEV • President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Western leaders to avoid stirring "panic" as Ukraine faces a Russian troop build-up on the border that has sparked fears of an invasion.

His plea came just after a phone call between French President Emmanuel Macron and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who confirmed there was appetite for more negotiations to de-escalate ratcheting tensions.

Russia denies any plans to invade, but has demanded wide-ranging security guarantees from the West, including that Ukraine never be allowed to join Nato. Those demands have been the subject of intensive negotiations, with the West warning of far-reaching consequences if diplomacy fails and Russia attacks.

"We don't need this panic," Mr Zelensky told a news conference with foreign media, insisting that he wanted to avoid hurting his country's already battered economy. "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?"

Nato and the United States have delivered responses to Moscow's demands, which Mr Putin told Mr Macron on Friday had fallen short of Russia's expectations, the Kremlin said.

"The US and Nato responses did not take into account Russia's fundamental concerns, including preventing Nato's expansion," Mr Putin said, according to the Kremlin's readout of the call.

He said the West had ignored the "key question" - that no country should strengthen its security at the expense of others - adding that Russia would "carefully study" the responses "after which it will decide on further actions".

Friday's phone call followed what the Elysee described as "positive" talks in Paris between Russia and Ukraine, as well as France and Germany.

The meetings produced the first joint written statement on the conflict in eastern Ukraine signed up to by Moscow and Kiev since 2019.

In a sign of tensions, however, Russia announced on Friday evening that it had added several European Union officials to a list of people banned from entering the country, saying they were responsible for "anti-Russian policies".

Mr Zelensky, meanwhile, called on Russia to prove it has no intention of invading.

"They say this openly, in different media, from different officials - so they could at least show some steps to prove it," he said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE