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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed on Tuesday an executive decree to increase the armed forces of the country by 100,000 soldiers, along with a rise in pay for soldiers for three years.
Zelenskiy claimed this decision was “not because we’ll soon see a war… But to ensure that in the near future, there can be peace within Ukraine,” according to Reuters.
The Ukrainian military forces are comprised of about 250,000 soldiers, and Russia is home to around 900,000.
To strengthen its plans, Ukraine has also said it is working with Poland as well as Britain “in the in the context of ongoing Russian aggressiveness,” Reuters added.
Polish Premier Mateusz Morawiecki has said his country will assist Ukraine by providing gas, arms and humanitarian aid in the event an attack. British Prim Minister Boris Johnson was scheduled to have a meeting with Zelenskiy on Tuesday.
“We insist on Russia to rethink its approach and begin a dialogue in order to find the best diplomatic solution and prevent more bleeding,” Johnson said ahead of the meeting, Reuters reported.
“As a friend and democratic partner as well as a democratic partner, the UK will not stop standing up for Ukraine’s sovereignty, despite those who would like to destroy the country,” the prime minister said.
These comments are made as Russia has amassed around 100,000 troops along its frontier with Ukraine.
While Moscow has denied any intentions to attack however, Moscow denies any intention of aggression, the White House too is preparing for the possibility of an incursion following President Biden declared this weekend that U.S. troops would be deployed for the regions in the “near time. “
U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Sunday claimed that Russia could not have accumulated an army of this size close to Ukraine without the intent of employing it.
“We’ve witnessed the Russian strategy before. They’re using deception. They’re telling Ukrainians not to be concerned about an attack, however we are aware that an attack is possible.” Thomas-Greenfield told ABC’s “This Week.”
“You won’t be able to gather 100,000 troops in the event that you don’t intend to deploy the troops,” She added.