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United States President Joe Biden emphasized that
both Washington and NATO had no role in the armed uprising led by Yevgeny
Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group of mercenaries.
Biden stated that he had discussed the situation
with key allies and stressed the importance of not giving Russian President
Vladimir Putin any excuse to blame the West.
Assessing the Fallout and Uncertain Path Ahead:
Biden acknowledged the weekend's events in Russia
and mentioned that it was still too early to draw definitive conclusions about
the situation.
He expressed the need to assess the fallout and
implications for Russia and Ukraine while keeping a close eye on the
developments.
Escalation between Prigozhin and the Kremlin:
The uprising originated from escalating tensions
between Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Kremlin.
Prigozhin accused Russian Defence Minister Sergei
Shoigu of attacking his mercenary forces in Ukraine and called for an end to
the mistreatment by Russia's military leadership.
This accusation led to a criminal case against
Prigozhin for armed rebellion.
Uprising and Swift Resolution:
Prigozhin ordered his forces to cross from Ukraine
into Russia, initiating what he called a "march for justice" against
Russia's military leadership.
Wagner forces briefly seized Rostov-on-Don and
advanced toward Moscow before a deal was brokered by Belarusian President
Alexander Lukashenko, resulting in the stand-down of Wagner forces.
Specific details of the agreement remain
undisclosed.
Prigozhin's Statement and Uncertain Fallout:
Yevgeny Prigozhin relocated to Belarus and
clarified that his fighters did not aim to overthrow the existing regime or the
legally elected government.
He claimed his forces turned around to avoid
bloodshed among Russian soldiers. The long-term implications of the weekend's
events and their impact on Russia's war in Ukraine remain uncertain.
International Coordination and Support for Ukraine:
President Biden discussed the situation with key
allies, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf
Scholz, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau.
Biden reassured Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelenskyy of the US's continued support in their fight against Russian
invasion.
(Courtesy: Al-Jazeera)
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