Volodymyr Zelensky also criticised the UK, US and Australian withdrawal of diplomats' families from Ukraine, saying it had been a mistake


Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the West not to create panic amid the build-up of Russian troops on his country's borders.
He told reporters that warnings of an imminent invasion were putting Ukraine's economy at risk.
On Thursday, US President Joe Biden said he believed Russia could attack its neighbour next month.
Russia, however, denies it is planning to invade and on Friday its foreign minister said Moscow did not want war.
While Russia has about 100,000 troops on Ukraine's borders, Mr Zelensky said he did not see a greater threat now than during a similar massing of troops last spring.
"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?" he told the press conference in Kyiv.
Mr Zelensky also criticised the UK, US and Australian withdrawal of diplomats' families from Ukraine, saying it had been a mistake.
"The destabilisation of the situation inside the country" is the biggest threat to Ukraine, he said.
The US has rejected a key Moscow demand that Nato rule out Ukraine joining the defence alliance - but insisted it was offering Russia a " serious diplomatic path".
Russian President Vladimir Putin later accused the West of ignoring Russia's security concerns.
But he said he would study the US response before deciding what to do, according to a Kremlin readout of a call between Mr Putin and his French counterpart.
France said the two leaders had agreed on the need to de-escalate and its President Emmanuel Macron told Mr Putin that Russia must respect the sovereignty of its neighbouring states.
'No decision made'
Meanwhile the head of Germany's foreign intelligence service said Russia was prepared to attack Ukraine, but had not yet decided whether to do so.
"I believe that the decision to attack has not yet been made," Bruno Kahl told Reuters.
And Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was ready to increase its presence in eastern Europe to demonstrate its resolve.
Mr Stoltenberg said Russia was deploying thousands of combat-ready troops and missile systems into Belarus, which also borders Ukraine.
Russia last month made wide-ranging security demands from the West, including that:
Ukraine should be barred from joining Nato
Nato should end military activity in eastern Europe, pulling troops out of Poland and the Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
The alliance should not deploy missiles in countries near or bordering Russia
The US and Nato responded by saying Ukraine had the right to choose its own allies but offered Russia talks on missile placements and other issues.
If Russia were to invade Ukraine, it would not be the first time.
Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula in 2014. It is also backing rebels who seized large swathes of the eastern Donbas region soon afterwards, and some 14,000 people have died in fighting there.
SOURC E: BBC NEWS
White House signals 20% global tariffs, sources say
- 12 hours ago
Lahore to Jeddah flight avoids crisis with swift emergency landing
- 7 hours ago
Russia's Supreme Court to rule on Taliban's status as terrorist group
- 7 hours ago

Microsoft tests Quick Machine Recovery to restore PCs that can’t boot
- 12 minutes ago

Bird Buddy’s solar-powered smart feeder is $100 off
- 12 minutes ago

The Trump administration could green-light deep-sea mining for the first time
- 12 minutes ago
Two dead, 12 injured in vehicle accident in Lower Dir
- 9 hours ago
Dozens hospitalized after massive blaze on Petronas gas pipeline in Malaysia
- 9 hours ago

Four dead after speeding car plunges into Naseer Canal in Sindh
- 9 hours ago

Facebook’s new Friends-only feed ditches all the algorithmic junk
- 12 minutes ago

Massive explosion at India’s Gujarat fireworks factory kills 17
- 12 hours ago

President Zardari admitted to hospital following health complications
- 11 hours ago