Big war in Ukraine could plunge Europe into crisis, but Western leaders can still contain Russia – Reznikov

KYIV. Dec 6 (Interfax-Ukraine) – A big war in Ukraine could plunge Europe into crisis, but Western leaders can still contain Russia, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said.

"A big war in Ukraine will plunge all of Europe into crisis. The sudden appearance of three to five million Ukrainian refugees fleeing a Russian invasion will be just one of the many serious problems facing European society," Reznikov wrote in an article for the Atlantic Council think tank.

He also noted the likelihood of a food crisis.

"The EU is highly dependent on imports of food products, including grain. A big war will seriously undermine and possibly completely prevent the import of many goods from both Ukraine and Russia, creating a number of food security problems for the entire continent," the head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine said.

At the same time, Reznikov said that "the only real way to deal with the Kremlin is to demonstrate a readiness to resist Russian aggression. We must convince Moscow that the cost of a new offensive is too high to be thought of."

The minister called on Western leaders to support and strengthen Ukraine, as well as to resist Russian pressure.

"In the face of the threat of a full-scale Russian invasion looming over Ukraine, the democratic world must act before it is too late. Western leaders still have time to contain Russia and demonstrate that Ukraine is not alone," Reznikov said.