Ukraine crisis: US ignored Russia's security concerns, Putin says

2 years ago 46
ARTICLE AD BOX

Image source, EPA

Image caption,

Ukrainian troops at a base in the west of the country - the US has warned Russia may invade next month

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told his French counterpart that the West has ignored Russia's security concerns, amid fears Russia could invade Ukraine.

The US rejected a key Moscow demand that Nato rule out Ukraine joining the defence alliance - but insisted it was offering Russia a "diplomatic path".

President Joe Biden has warned there is a "distinct possibility" Russia might invade Ukraine next month.

Russia denies it is planning an attack.

But on Friday Mr Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron the stand-off had not been resolved.

"US and Nato responses did not take account of such key Russian concerns as preventing Nato expansion, non-deployment of strike weapons systems near Russian borders, or returning the alliance's military potential and infrastructure in Europe to positions existing in 1997", a Kremlin readout of the call said,

Earlier, Russia said there was "little ground for optimism" in resolving the crisis after the US rejected Russia's main demands.

The Kremlin had said Mr Putin would closely study the US proposals before deciding on further action.

Shortly after Mr Putin's comments to Mr Macron, 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.

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.

Media caption,

Watch: Ukrainian Marta Yuzkiv is preparing to defend her country but says she doesn't want war

More on this story

Read Entire Article