Europe

MINSK, February 16. /TASS/: The situation around Ukraine is being artificially inflamed by those who do not want Russia to play a decisive role in ensuring security in the world, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makey said at a press conference on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/: Moscow will no longer take seriously any statements by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg who has been named to head Norway’s central bank, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a news conference on Wednesday.

She made the comments in response to Stoltenberg’s statement that NATO’s doors will remain open for Ukraine.

MOSCOW, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Brazil is interested in small nuclear reactors made by Russian state energy firm Rosatom, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday during a visit to Moscow that was overshadowed by international fears of a conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Bolsonaro snubbed U.S. calls to call off the trip, which coincided with intense Western diplomatic efforts to dissuade Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading his neighbor. Russia has denied it is planning an invasion.

LONDON, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Britain's Queen Elizabeth on Wednesday quipped to members of the royal household that she could not move much as she carried out her first in-person engagement since her son Prince Charles tested positive for COVID-19.

Charles, 73, the heir to the throne, last week pulled out of an event after contracting coronavirus for a second time. A palace source said the 95-year-old monarch was not displaying any symptoms but the situation was being monitored.

MOSCOW/BERLIN, Feb 16 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has faced accusations of weak leadership in the Ukraine crisis and of being too soft on Russia, but his unexpectedly combative stance in talks in the Kremlin with President Vladimir Putin has earned him plaudits.

Political pundits wondered how the mild-mannered Scholz, who took office in December, would fare on Tuesday stepping into "the lion's den".

BRUSSELS, Feb 16 (Reuters) - NATO told its military commanders on Wednesday to draw up plans for new combat units in central and southeastern Europe, as it accused Russia of sending more troops to areas near Ukraine instead of withdrawing its forces.

Separately, a senior Western intelligence official said Russian military exercises were at their peak stage and the risk of Russian aggression against Ukraine would remain high for the rest of February.

MOSCOW, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday underlined the need to avoid a war over Ukraine and to settle the crisis via diplomatic efforts.

"Regarding whether we want this (war), of course we don't. This is why we have put forward proposals for the start of a negotiation process in a bid to reach an agreement ensuring equal security for everyone," Putin said during a press conference with Scholz following their talks in the Kremlin.

BERLIN (AP) — Europe needs a bolder space policy, French President Emmanuel Macron declared Wednesday, warning that Europe’s sovereignty is at stake if it falls behind rival powers in a key field for technology, science and military competitiveness.

Speaking at a meeting in Toulouse, France, Macron said recent events had shown how crucial it is to be able to monitor troop movements from orbit — a reference to satellite images showing Russia’s mass military deployment near Ukraine that raise fears of an imminent invasion.

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO member countries on Wednesday examined new ways to bolster the defenses of nations on the organization’s eastern flank as Russia’s military buildup around Ukraine fuels one of Europe’s biggest security crises in decades.

Over two days at NATO headquarters in Brussels, defense ministers were to discuss how and when to rapidly dispatch troops and equipment to countries closest to Russia and the Black Sea region should Moscow order an invasion of Ukraine.

GENEVA (AP) — The number of new coronavirus cases globally fell by 19% in the last week while the number of deaths remained stable, according to the World Health Organization.

The U.N. health agency said late Tuesday in its weekly report on the pandemic that just over 16 million new COVID-19 infections and about 75,000 deaths were reported worldwide last week.