LVIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned his nation Thursday of a buildup of Russian troops in the east and of more bloodshed to come as he and Western officials continued to cast doubt on Moscow’s pronouncements of a partial military pullback around Kyiv, the capital.
In an overnight video address, Zelenskyy said there was an “accumulation” of Russian troops in Donbas, a region in eastern Ukraine claimed by pro-Russian secessionists, and cautioned his people not to read too deeply into recent peace talks.
Leaders around the world were also scrambling to address a deepening global energy crisis triggered by steep international sanctions on Russia. On Thursday, as Europe grappled with low stockpiles of fuel, President Joe Biden announced that the United States will release a million barrels of oil a day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve for six months in a bid to control energy prices.
