India on Monday called for "diplomatic dialogue" during a fiery meeting on the Ukraine crisis at the United Nations Security Council(UNSC).

Indian envoy to United Nations T S Tirumurti in the statement at the high table said," I reiterate our call for the peaceful resolution of the situation by sincere and sustained diplomatic efforts to ensure that concerns of all sides are resolved through constructive dialogue".&nbsp;

Ahead of the meeting,&nbsp;Russia called for a procedural vote on holding the US-initiated meet.&nbsp;India, along with Gabon and Kenya abstained during the vote. Russia and China voted against holding of the meeting.

But the US bid to hold the meet was successful as it was able to get ten votes in all - US, France, UK, Brazil, Albania, Ghana, Norway, Mexico, UAE and Ireland. Nine&nbsp;votes were needed to hold the meeting.&nbsp;The Russian representative to the UN thanked countries who abstained and voted against holding the meet at the UNSC.

The meet comes even as Russia and the West&nbsp;led by the United States have been on the brink over Ukraine.

Russia has amassed troops at the border with Ukraine&nbsp;with the West worried over a possible invasion, something Moscow has dismissed.

The Indian envoy said, "India’s interest is in finding a solution that can provide for immediate de-escalation of tensions taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries" and "aimed towards securing long term peace and stability in the region and beyond."&nbsp;

Russia wants security guarantees from the West, including promises that Ukraine will not&nbsp;join&nbsp;the NATO alliance.

A&nbsp;number of rounds of talks have taken place between Russia and US over the crisis, including the one between US Secretary of state Blinken and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.&nbsp;

The Indian envoy called for "quiet and constructive diplomacy" and to avoid "any steps that increase tension" while welcoming efforts under the Minsk agreement and the Normandy Format.

The Minsk pact came into being in 2014 between Russia, Ukraine and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and calls for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine while giving autonomy to the Russian speaking areas.

The Normandy Format&nbsp;which has Germany, Russia, Ukraine and France as the key components&nbsp;played a key role in drafting the Minsk agreement.

The meeting, the envoy&nbsp;Tirumurti&nbsp;highlighted involved "well&nbsp;being of Indian nationals is of priority to us".&nbsp;More than 20,000&nbsp;Indian students and nationals live and study in different parts of Ukraine, including in its border areas. The Indian mission in Kyiv has started to collect data on the number of Indian nationals in&nbsp;the country.&nbsp;

The envoy also confirmed that New Delhi has been in "touch with all concerned parties".&nbsp;

January saw US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman calling Indian foreign secretary Harsh Shringla to brief hin on the issue.

Meanwhile, three&nbsp;Indo-Russia conversations have taken place in the same month. These talks include Russia's deputy FM Sergei Ryabkov meeting Indian envoy to Russia Pavan Kapoor, Russia's deputy FM Sergey Vershinin calling Indian envoy Kapoor and Vershinin's Delhi visit to hold talks with secretary west Reenat Sandhu. Russia becomes the president of the UNSC in February.

India on Monday called for "diplomatic dialogue" during a fiery meeting on the Ukraine crisis at the United Nations Security Council(UNSC). Indian envoy to United Nations T S Tirumurti in the statement at the high table said," I reiterate our call for the peaceful resolution of the situation by sincere and sustained diplomatic efforts to ensure that concerns of all sides are resolved through constructive dialogue".

India on Monday called for "diplomatic dialogue" during a fiery meeting on the Ukraine crisis at the United Nations Security Council(UNSC). Indian envoy to United Nations T S Tirumurti in the statement at the high table said," I reiterate our call for the peaceful resolution of the situation by sincere and sustained diplomatic efforts to ensure that concerns of all sides are resolved through constructive dialogue". Ahead of the meeting, Russia called for a procedural vote on holding the US-initiated meet. India, along with Gabon and Kenya abstained during the vote. Russia and China voted against holding of the meeting. But the US bid to hold the meet was successful as it was able to get ten votes in all - US, France, UK, Brazil, Albania, Ghana, Norway, Mexico, UAE and Ireland. Nine votes were needed to hold the meeting. The Russian representative to the UN thanked countries who abstained and voted against holding the meet at the UNSC. The meet comes even as Russia and the West led by the United States have been on the brink over Ukraine. Russia has amassed troops at the border with Ukraine with the West worried over a possible invasion, something Moscow has dismissed. The Indian envoy said, "India’s interest is in finding a solution that can provide for immediate de-escalation of tensions taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries" and "aimed towards securing long term peace and stability in the region and beyond." Russia wants security guarantees from the West, including promises that Ukraine will not join the NATO alliance. A number of rounds of talks have taken place between Russia and US over the crisis, including the one between US Secretary of state Blinken and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. The Indian envoy called for "quiet and constructive diplomacy" and to avoid "any steps that increase tension" while welcoming efforts under the Minsk agreement and the Normandy Format. The Minsk pact came into being in 2014 between Russia, Ukraine and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and calls for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine while giving autonomy to the Russian speaking areas. The Normandy Format which has Germany, Russia, Ukraine and France as the key components played a key role in drafting the Minsk agreement. The meeting, the envoy Tirumurti highlighted involved "well being of Indian nationals is of priority to us". More than 20,000 Indian students and nationals live and study in different parts of Ukraine, including in its border areas. The Indian mission in Kyiv has started to collect data on the number of Indian nationals in the country. The envoy also confirmed that New Delhi has been in "touch with all concerned parties". January saw US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman calling Indian foreign secretary Harsh Shringla to brief hin on the issue. Meanwhile, three Indo-Russia conversations have taken place in the same month. These talks include Russia's deputy FM Sergei Ryabkov meeting Indian envoy to Russia Pavan Kapoor, Russia's deputy FM Sergey Vershinin calling Indian envoy Kapoor and Vershinin's Delhi visit to hold talks with secretary west Reenat Sandhu. Russia becomes the president of the UNSC in February.

UNSC meet on Ukraine: India calls for dialogue; abstains from 'procedural vote'

US President Joe Biden has claimed that he has warned his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that Moscow will be facing economic sanctions if Ukraine is attacked by his forces.<o:p></o:p>

Biden claims he made it very clear that Russia will be facing economic sanctions ‘like never before’ if Russian forces launch an attack on Ukraine. "I made it very clear if in fact he invades Ukraine there will be severe consequences, severe consequences — economic consequences like none he's ever seen or ever have been seen," Biden told reporters at the White House.<o:p></o:p>

Not just this, the US President also claims that the Russian President received "the message". His warning comes a few hours after the two world leaders met each other in a virtual meeting.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/joe-biden-sending-us-troops-to-ukraine-not-on-cards-russia-ukraine-tensions-435305">WATCH |</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/joe-biden-sending-us-troops-to-ukraine-not-on-cards-russia-ukraine-tensions-435305/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

While Biden has issued such a strong statement against his Russian counterpart to protect Ukraine, he has also added that sending US soldiers to Ukraine to help confront Russia is "not on the table".<o:p></o:p>

"The idea the United States is going to unilaterally use force to confront Russia invading Ukraine is not on the cards right now," Biden said. "We have a moral obligation and a legal obligation to our NATO allies under Article Five. It's a sacred obligation. That obligation does not extend to... Ukraine."<o:p></o:p>

"But it would depend upon what the rest of the NATO countries were willing to do as well," Biden added.<o:p></o:p>

Speaking the same tune as his President, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken&nbsp;claims that the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, reiterated a similar message on this topic. The two have "agreed on the need to impose swift and severe costs on Russia if it escalates its aggression in Ukraine," State Department spokesman Ned Price said.<o:p></o:p>

However, Russia has claimed that the troops are marching towards the border as a defensive measure, and not to attack Ukraine. "Russia has a peaceful foreign policy, but has the right to defend its security," Putin said at a news conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. "We cannot but be concerned about the prospect of Ukraine's possible admission to NATO, because this will undoubtedly be followed by the deployment of appropriate military contingents, bases and weapons that threaten us."<o:p></o:p>

France, too, has supported US’ statement on this issue and warned of similar "strategic and massive consequences". The new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, too, warned Putin of consequences in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the Russian project to deliver natural gas to Germany, if such an attack takes place.

<o:p>(With inputs from agencies)</o:p>

US President Joe Biden has claimed that he has warned his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that Moscow will be facing economic sanctions if Ukraine is attacked by his forces.

US President Joe Biden has claimed that he has warned his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that Moscow will be facing economic sanctions if Ukraine is attacked by his forces. Biden claims he made it very clear that Russia will be facing economic sanctions ‘like never before’ if Russian forces launch an attack on Ukraine. "I made it very clear if in fact he invades Ukraine there will be severe consequences, severe consequences — economic consequences like none he's ever seen or ever have been seen," Biden told reporters at the White House. Not just this, the US President also claims that the Russian President received "the message". His warning comes a few hours after the two world leaders met each other in a virtual meeting. WATCH | While Biden has issued such a strong statement against his Russian counterpart to protect Ukraine, he has also added that sending US soldiers to Ukraine to help confront Russia is "not on the table". "The idea the United States is going to unilaterally use force to confront Russia invading Ukraine is not on the cards right now," Biden said. "We have a moral obligation and a legal obligation to our NATO allies under Article Five. It's a sacred obligation. That obligation does not extend to... Ukraine." "But it would depend upon what the rest of the NATO countries were willing to do as well," Biden added. Speaking the same tune as his President, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken claims that the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, reiterated a similar message on this topic. The two have "agreed on the need to impose swift and severe costs on Russia if it escalates its aggression in Ukraine," State Department spokesman Ned Price said. However, Russia has claimed that the troops are marching towards the border as a defensive measure, and not to attack Ukraine. "Russia has a peaceful foreign policy, but has the right to defend its security," Putin said at a news conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. "We cannot but be concerned about the prospect of Ukraine's possible admission to NATO, because this will undoubtedly be followed by the deployment of appropriate military contingents, bases and weapons that threaten us." France, too, has supported US’ statement on this issue and warned of similar "strategic and massive consequences". The new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, too, warned Putin of consequences in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the Russian project to deliver natural gas to Germany, if such an attack takes place. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden threatens Russia with 'severe sanctions' if Ukraine is attacked; US troops not to be involved

US intelligence information shows that Russia has&nbsp;built up troops and artillery to prepare for a rapid, large-scale push into Ukraine from multiple locations according to people familiar with the discussions.

A report by Bloomberg indicates that the US shared intelligence which included maps with its European allies.

Over the past week, some NATO members have received this intelligence that supports US concerns about Putin's intentions as well as an increasingly frantic diplomatic effort to deter him from any incursion.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hysteria-is-being-whipped-up-artificially-says-russia-over-ukraine-conflict-431009">Hysteria is being whipped up artificially, says Russia over Ukraine conflict</a>

The American assessment suggests that Putin is considering an invasion next year.

A scenario is presented where troops, with about 100 battalion tactical groups, cross into Ukraine from Crimea, Russia, and Belarus.

About 100,000 soldiers could be deployed for what is described as an operation in rough terrain and freezing conditions. Allegedly it would cover an extensive territory. The forces, according to this scenario would be prepared for an occupation that could last for months or even years.

Moscow is also reported to have called up tens of thousands of reservists, a number unheard of since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In any conflict, reservists are sent to secure territory in a later phase after tactical battalions have made their way. However, so far, Russia hasn't announced any big call-ups of reservists.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dont-know-about-president-putins-intentions-blinken-on-ukraine-provocation-430821">Don't know about President Putin's intentions: Blinken on Ukraine 'provocation'</a>

It was also reported that the US had shared information about an exponential rise in disinformation targeted at Kyiv as well as the fact that Moscow had recruited agents for the purpose of sowing destabilisation inside Ukraine.

Last week, Putin denied any intentions to invade but welcomed the alarm as proof that it had drawn the attention of the United States and its allies, which he charged had not taken Russia's "red lines" over Ukraine seriously enough.

However, it's not certain war will happen, or that&nbsp;Putin is serious about starting one.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;U.S. Congressmen introduce resolution to end recognition of Putin as president after 2024

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-congressmen-introduce-resolution-to-end-recognition-of-putin-as-president-after-2024-430908/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Earlier this month, US secretary of state Antony Blinken said he has "real concerns about Russia's unusual military activity".

"We don't know what President Putin's intentions are. But we do know what's happened in the past. We know the playbook of trying to cite some illusory provocation from Ukraine or any other country and using that as an excuse for what Russia plans to do all along," Blinken remarked.

US intelligence information shows that Russia has built up troops and artillery to prepare for a rapid, large-scale push into Ukraine from multiple locations according to people familiar with the discussions.

US intelligence information shows that Russia has built up troops and artillery to prepare for a rapid, large-scale push into Ukraine from multiple locations according to people familiar with the discussions. A report by Bloomberg indicates that the US shared intelligence which included maps with its European allies. Over the past week, some NATO members have received this intelligence that supports US concerns about Putin's intentions as well as an increasingly frantic diplomatic effort to deter him from any incursion. Also read | Hysteria is being whipped up artificially, says Russia over Ukraine conflict The American assessment suggests that Putin is considering an invasion next year. A scenario is presented where troops, with about 100 battalion tactical groups, cross into Ukraine from Crimea, Russia, and Belarus. About 100,000 soldiers could be deployed for what is described as an operation in rough terrain and freezing conditions. Allegedly it would cover an extensive territory. The forces, according to this scenario would be prepared for an occupation that could last for months or even years. Moscow is also reported to have called up tens of thousands of reservists, a number unheard of since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In any conflict, reservists are sent to secure territory in a later phase after tactical battalions have made their way. However, so far, Russia hasn't announced any big call-ups of reservists. Also read | Don't know about President Putin's intentions: Blinken on Ukraine 'provocation' It was also reported that the US had shared information about an exponential rise in disinformation targeted at Kyiv as well as the fact that Moscow had recruited agents for the purpose of sowing destabilisation inside Ukraine. Last week, Putin denied any intentions to invade but welcomed the alarm as proof that it had drawn the attention of the United States and its allies, which he charged had not taken Russia's "red lines" over Ukraine seriously enough. However, it's not certain war will happen, or that Putin is serious about starting one. Watch | U.S. Congressmen introduce resolution to end recognition of Putin as president after 2024 Earlier this month, US secretary of state Antony Blinken said he has "real concerns about Russia's unusual military activity". "We don't know what President Putin's intentions are. But we do know what's happened in the past. We know the playbook of trying to cite some illusory provocation from Ukraine or any other country and using that as an excuse for what Russia plans to do all along," Blinken remarked.

US intel suggests Russia plans to invade Ukraine: Reports

The Kremlin on Sunday&nbsp;slammed the United States for&nbsp;whipping up tensions&nbsp;over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

''This hysteria is being whipped up artificially,'' said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

"Those who have brought their armed forces from overseas are accusing us of unusual military activity on our own territory. That is, the United States."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-condemns-russian-missile-test-which-put-iss-crew-at-risk-429894/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He even suggested that Ukraine was probably looking for a way to solve its own problems by force.

It comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he has "real concerns about Russia's unusual military activity" near the ex-Soviet country.

He had said ''We don't know what President Putin's intentions are. But we do know what's happened in the past.''

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/blinken-expresses-real-concerns-over-russia-on-ukraine-430836" hreflang="en">Blinken expresses 'real concerns' over Russia on Ukraine</a>

''We know the playbook of trying to cite some illusory provocation from Ukraine or any other country and using that as an excuse for what Russia plans to do all along,'' Blinken added.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Ukrainian officials have been making similar statements for nearly two weeks.

Ukraine's army has been locked in a simmering conflict with pro-Russian separatists in two breakaway regions bordering Russia since 2014 after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Kremlin on Sunday slammed the United States for whipping up tensions over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. ''This hysteria is being whipped up artificially,'' said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The Kremlin on Sunday slammed the United States for whipping up tensions over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. ''This hysteria is being whipped up artificially,'' said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. "Those who have brought their armed forces from overseas are accusing us of unusual military activity on our own territory. That is, the United States." He even suggested that Ukraine was probably looking for a way to solve its own problems by force. It comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he has "real concerns about Russia's unusual military activity" near the ex-Soviet country. He had said ''We don't know what President Putin's intentions are. But we do know what's happened in the past.'' Also read | Blinken expresses 'real concerns' over Russia on Ukraine ''We know the playbook of trying to cite some illusory provocation from Ukraine or any other country and using that as an excuse for what Russia plans to do all along,'' Blinken added. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Ukrainian officials have been making similar statements for nearly two weeks. Ukraine's army has been locked in a simmering conflict with pro-Russian separatists in two breakaway regions bordering Russia since 2014 after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine. (With inputs from agencies)

Hysteria is being whipped up artificially, says Russia over Ukraine conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the West of escalating the Ukraine conflict.

"(Our) Western partners are escalating the situation by supplying Kiev with lethal modern weapons and conducting provocative manoeuvres in the Black Sea," he said in a wide-ranging speech to foreign policy officials in Moscow.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-russia-destroys-satellite-releases-big-cloud-of-space-junk-429873/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He said that the West is taking Russia's warnings of not crossing its "red lines" too lightly.

Despite describing his relations with the United States as "unsatisfactory," Putin said he is willing to talk.

The longtime Russian leader said Moscow has been "constantly raising concerns about this" but "all our warnings and talk about red lines are treated superficially".&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whats-happening-between-russia-and-ukraine-heres-a-cheat-sheet-377164">Also read |&nbsp;What's happening between Russia and Ukraine? Here's a cheat-sheet</a>

Previously, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had said that the United States was making ''aggressive moves'' in the Black Sea.

The Black Sea is a sensitive region for Russia, which controls the Crimea peninsula after annexing it from Ukraine in 2014.&nbsp;

Since then, Kiev has fought a conflict with pro-Russia rebels in the east of the country which has claimed more than 13,000 lives.&nbsp;

Russia-West ties have been at post-Cold War lows for years, but the tone has sharpened in recent weeks as Ukraine and NATO countries have raised fears over Russian troop movements near Ukraine's borders and tried to guess Moscow's real intentions.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the West of escalating the Ukraine conflict. "(Our) Western partners are escalating the situation by supplying Kiev with lethal modern weapons and conducting provocative manoeuvres in the Black Sea," he said in a wide-ranging speech to foreign policy officials in Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the West of escalating the Ukraine conflict. "(Our) Western partners are escalating the situation by supplying Kiev with lethal modern weapons and conducting provocative manoeuvres in the Black Sea," he said in a wide-ranging speech to foreign policy officials in Moscow. He said that the West is taking Russia's warnings of not crossing its "red lines" too lightly. Despite describing his relations with the United States as "unsatisfactory," Putin said he is willing to talk. The longtime Russian leader said Moscow has been "constantly raising concerns about this" but "all our warnings and talk about red lines are treated superficially". Also read | What's happening between Russia and Ukraine? Here's a cheat-sheet Previously, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had said that the United States was making ''aggressive moves'' in the Black Sea. The Black Sea is a sensitive region for Russia, which controls the Crimea peninsula after annexing it from Ukraine in 2014. Since then, Kiev has fought a conflict with pro-Russia rebels in the east of the country which has claimed more than 13,000 lives. Russia-West ties have been at post-Cold War lows for years, but the tone has sharpened in recent weeks as Ukraine and NATO countries have raised fears over Russian troop movements near Ukraine's borders and tried to guess Moscow's real intentions. (With inputs from agencies)

Provocative manoeuvres of West escalating Ukraine conflict, says Vladimir Putin

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby has said that the US is aware of allegations of "unusual" Russian military activities near the Ukrainian border and will continue to speak with partners and closely monitor the region.&nbsp;

"We are aware of public reports of unusual Russian military activity near Ukraine and we're going to continue to consult with allies and partners on this issue. I can't speak for Russian intentions, but we are certainly monitoring the region closely as we always do, " Kirby said during a press briefing. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whats-happening-between-russia-and-ukraine-heres-a-cheat-sheet-377164">Also read | What's happening between Russia and Ukraine? Here's a cheat-sheet</a>

The Washington Post reports that US officials are concerned about unexplained Russian military activity in the region.

Military Trains and truck convoys move tanks and missiles in Russia's southwest near Ukraine, according to videos uploaded on social media.

On the condition of anonymity, a US source confirmed that there had been some movement, albeit it was not as significant as the rise in Moscow's forces earlier this year.&nbsp;

Watch | Ukraine uses Turkish drone against Russia-backed separatists

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukraine-uses-turkish-drone-against-russia-backed-separatists-424726/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The increase follows US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's trip to the Black Sea region, which included stops in NATO partner Ukraine and Georgia, as well as alliance full member Romania, to express solidarity and rally support for fighting Russia in the region.

Since 2014, rebels allied with Russia have fought Ukrainian government forces in eastern Ukraine.

In 2014, Russian soldiers annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula, prompting harsh Western sanctions on the country.&nbsp;

Russia massed thousands of troops, heavy military equipment, naval boats, and aircraft on the Ukraine-Crimea border and in Crimea in March, only weeks after President Joe Biden's inauguration, stoking concerns of an invasion.

The manoeuvres were described by Moscow as a drill, but many of the military equipment stayed for weeks, prompting observers to interpret them as a message to Biden.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby has said that the US is aware of allegations of "unusual" Russian military activities near the Ukrainian border and will continue to speak with partners and closely monitor the region.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby has said that the US is aware of allegations of "unusual" Russian military activities near the Ukrainian border and will continue to speak with partners and closely monitor the region. "We are aware of public reports of unusual Russian military activity near Ukraine and we're going to continue to consult with allies and partners on this issue. I can't speak for Russian intentions, but we are certainly monitoring the region closely as we always do, " Kirby said during a press briefing. Also read | What's happening between Russia and Ukraine? Here's a cheat-sheet The Washington Post reports that US officials are concerned about unexplained Russian military activity in the region. Military Trains and truck convoys move tanks and missiles in Russia's southwest near Ukraine, according to videos uploaded on social media. On the condition of anonymity, a US source confirmed that there had been some movement, albeit it was not as significant as the rise in Moscow's forces earlier this year. Watch | Ukraine uses Turkish drone against Russia-backed separatists The increase follows US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's trip to the Black Sea region, which included stops in NATO partner Ukraine and Georgia, as well as alliance full member Romania, to express solidarity and rally support for fighting Russia in the region. Since 2014, rebels allied with Russia have fought Ukrainian government forces in eastern Ukraine. In 2014, Russian soldiers annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula, prompting harsh Western sanctions on the country. Russia massed thousands of troops, heavy military equipment, naval boats, and aircraft on the Ukraine-Crimea border and in Crimea in March, only weeks after President Joe Biden's inauguration, stoking concerns of an invasion. The manoeuvres were described by Moscow as a drill, but many of the military equipment stayed for weeks, prompting observers to interpret them as a message to Biden. (With inputs from agencies)

US monitoring reports of ‘unusual’ Russian troop activity near Ukraine: Pentagon

It is a sign of the heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine that for a few hours this week, а meandering, half-century-old Ukrainian naval ship seemed like it could spark a worrisome military escalation.

The ship, according to Ukrainian officials, was unarmed and involved in a simple training exercise Thursday in a small but strategic waterway bordered by Ukraine to the west and Russia to the east. It seemed to be primarily an example of the Ukrainian navy’s decrepitude, although it’s possible that Ukraine, too, could have been trying to push the boundaries and provoke Russia.

Either way, the Russian security services and state news media quickly seized on the encounter, portraying it as an imminent threat.

Russia’s domestic spy service, the FSB, announced late in the evening that it had intercepted the ship for failing to obey orders. That set off the Kremlin’s propagandists, who played up the move as a prelude to war. RT, a Russian government television station, began livestreaming coverage on YouTube under the headline “UKRAINIAN PROVOCATION,” with a military analyst suggesting the ship should be blown out of the water.

“This is the provocation everyone has been waiting for,” Andrei Medvedev, an RT contributor wrote.

In the end, it was not, as the vessel returned to port without incident.

A lumbering ship may not yet be enough to provoke a full-on Russian assault. But with Moscow having amassed nearly 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders, along with tanks, fighter aircraft and ballistic missiles, people on all sides of the conflict are jumpy.

The brief flare-up not only underscores the dangers inherent in the conflict between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists, but also suggests that the situation remains volatile even after a video call this week between President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin of Russia aimed at ratcheting down tensions.

Putin’s rhetoric on Ukraine has become increasingly ominous. And Ukrainian troops are arrayed along a 250-mile barricade of trenches and fortifications that regularly erupts in machine gun and artillery fire as they face off against the separatists in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine.

Much is riding on diplomatic efforts in the next days and weeks, experts said.

“I think that it’s obviously tense, but it’s not like we’re ready to roll,” said Eugene Rumer, director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Rumer raised the possibility that, once Russia makes the decision to invade, it could use a minor incident as justification.

“If Putin realizes this conversation with Biden is not going anywhere, that he’s not getting what he wants, that this is hopeless, then I can imagine that a drone incident or a shell that somebody lobs could provide the pretext to pull the trigger,” he said.

Indeed, the decision by the FSB to intercept a seemingly harmless ship, combined with the furious reaction from the Kremlin’s propagandists, has unnerved Ukrainian and Western officials, who fear that it serves as a model for how the Kremlin could use a contrived excuse to invade.

Ukrainian observers said they found the timing of the FSB’s announcement suspicious. It came out around the time the government released the details of a telephone call between Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Biden.

In a statement on Twitter, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv delivered an unusually pointed response, saying that the Ukrainian ship did nothing illegal and accusing the Russian government of intentionally ginning up a controversy.

“Russia’s false allegations are part of its ongoing campaign to distract from its latest aggressive, provocative action,” the embassy wrote.

The ship — ironically named Donbass, the heart of the separatist territory — was intercepted in the Sea of Azov near the Kerch Strait, a narrow passage near Russian-occupied Crimea over which Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly clashed. In 2018, Russian forces opened fire on several Ukrainian naval vessels and arrested a number of sailors, whom they accused of straying into territorial waters that the Kremlin claimed as its own after the annexation of Crimea.

The FSB said the Donbass had refused to obey orders to divert from a course leading to the Kerch Strait. “These actions represent a threat to the safety of navigation,” its statement said.

According to Ukrainian officials, the ship never came closer than 18 nautical miles from the disputed waterway.

Ukrainian and Western officials say that Russian authorities, including Putin, seem to be previewing their rationalizations for an invasion. This month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that Russia had “intensified disinformation to paint Ukraine as the aggressor to justify pre-planned military action.”

These efforts appeared to continue even after the video call between Putin and Biden.

In defiance of all evidence to the contrary, Putin on Thursday accused Ukrainian authorities of carrying out “a genocide” against the residents of the Donbass. Although civilians in the separatist territories live under the protection of Russian-backed military forces, Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and one of the Kremlin’s chief propagandists, immediately amplified the claims, suggesting she hoped Russia would come to the residents’ rescue.

“Mother Russia has more than once saved millions from different forms of genocide,” she wrote on Telegram.

“I don’t know if he had that in mind,” she said of Putin, “but I certainly hope he did.”

The bellicose statements come against the backdrop of continuing violence along the so-called line of control separating Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists. On Thursday, two Ukrainian service members were wounded in attacks on front-line positions, the country’s military press service reported.

Meanwhile, the buildup of Russian troops on the border shows no sign of abating. Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that tank divisions from the western military district had practiced taking out anti-tank rockets similar to the Javelins provided by the United States and now deployed by Ukrainian forces in the country’s east. The exercises were held at training grounds in the Voronezh region, less than 200 miles from the Russia-Ukraine border.

Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, warned in remarks to military attachés Thursday that worsening tensions in the region could force Russia to respond. In his statement, he specifically mentioned Russia’s opposition to the Javelins, which Ukrainian forces have not yet used on the battlefield, as well as Turkish-made Bayraktar drones, which have been used to attack separatists positions.

“Any provocation by the Ukrainian authorities to solve the problems of Donbass using force will be suppressed,” he said.

It is a sign of the heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine that for a few hours this week, а meandering, half-century-old Ukrainian naval ship seemed like it could spark a worrisome military escalation.

It is a sign of the heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine that for a few hours this week, а meandering, half-century-old Ukrainian naval ship seemed like it could spark a worrisome military escalation. The ship, according to Ukrainian officials, was unarmed and involved in a simple training exercise Thursday in a small but strategic waterway bordered by Ukraine to the west and Russia to the east. It seemed to be primarily an example of the Ukrainian navy’s decrepitude, although it’s possible that Ukraine, too, could have been trying to push the boundaries and provoke Russia. Either way, the Russian security services and state news media quickly seized on the encounter, portraying it as an imminent threat. Russia’s domestic spy service, the FSB, announced late in the evening that it had intercepted the ship for failing to obey orders. That set off the Kremlin’s propagandists, who played up the move as a prelude to war. RT, a Russian government television station, began livestreaming coverage on YouTube under the headline “UKRAINIAN PROVOCATION,” with a military analyst suggesting the ship should be blown out of the water. “This is the provocation everyone has been waiting for,” Andrei Medvedev, an RT contributor wrote. In the end, it was not, as the vessel returned to port without incident. A lumbering ship may not yet be enough to provoke a full-on Russian assault. But with Moscow having amassed nearly 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders, along with tanks, fighter aircraft and ballistic missiles, people on all sides of the conflict are jumpy. The brief flare-up not only underscores the dangers inherent in the conflict between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists, but also suggests that the situation remains volatile even after a video call this week between President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin of Russia aimed at ratcheting down tensions. Putin’s rhetoric on Ukraine has become increasingly ominous. And Ukrainian troops are arrayed along a 250-mile barricade of trenches and fortifications that regularly erupts in machine gun and artillery fire as they face off against the separatists in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine. Much is riding on diplomatic efforts in the next days and weeks, experts said. “I think that it’s obviously tense, but it’s not like we’re ready to roll,” said Eugene Rumer, director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Rumer raised the possibility that, once Russia makes the decision to invade, it could use a minor incident as justification. “If Putin realizes this conversation with Biden is not going anywhere, that he’s not getting what he wants, that this is hopeless, then I can imagine that a drone incident or a shell that somebody lobs could provide the pretext to pull the trigger,” he said. Indeed, the decision by the FSB to intercept a seemingly harmless ship, combined with the furious reaction from the Kremlin’s propagandists, has unnerved Ukrainian and Western officials, who fear that it serves as a model for how the Kremlin could use a contrived excuse to invade. Ukrainian observers said they found the timing of the FSB’s announcement suspicious. It came out around the time the government released the details of a telephone call between Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Biden. In a statement on Twitter, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv delivered an unusually pointed response, saying that the Ukrainian ship did nothing illegal and accusing the Russian government of intentionally ginning up a controversy. “Russia’s false allegations are part of its ongoing campaign to distract from its latest aggressive, provocative action,” the embassy wrote. The ship — ironically named Donbass, the heart of the separatist territory — was intercepted in the Sea of Azov near the Kerch Strait, a narrow passage near Russian-occupied Crimea over which Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly clashed. In 2018, Russian forces opened fire on several Ukrainian naval vessels and arrested a number of sailors, whom they accused of straying into territorial waters that the Kremlin claimed as its own after the annexation of Crimea. The FSB said the Donbass had refused to obey orders to divert from a course leading to the Kerch Strait. “These actions represent a threat to the safety of navigation,” its statement said. According to Ukrainian officials, the ship never came closer than 18 nautical miles from the disputed waterway. Ukrainian and Western officials say that Russian authorities, including Putin, seem to be previewing their rationalizations for an invasion. This month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that Russia had “intensified disinformation to paint Ukraine as the aggressor to justify pre-planned military action.” These efforts appeared to continue even after the video call between Putin and Biden. In defiance of all evidence to the contrary, Putin on Thursday accused Ukrainian authorities of carrying out “a genocide” against the residents of the Donbass. Although civilians in the separatist territories live under the protection of Russian-backed military forces, Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and one of the Kremlin’s chief propagandists, immediately amplified the claims, suggesting she hoped Russia would come to the residents’ rescue. “Mother Russia has more than once saved millions from different forms of genocide,” she wrote on Telegram. “I don’t know if he had that in mind,” she said of Putin, “but I certainly hope he did.” The bellicose statements come against the backdrop of continuing violence along the so-called line of control separating Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists. On Thursday, two Ukrainian service members were wounded in attacks on front-line positions, the country’s military press service reported. Meanwhile, the buildup of Russian troops on the border shows no sign of abating. Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that tank divisions from the western military district had practiced taking out anti-tank rockets similar to the Javelins provided by the United States and now deployed by Ukrainian forces in the country’s east. The exercises were held at training grounds in the Voronezh region, less than 200 miles from the Russia-Ukraine border. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, warned in remarks to military attachés Thursday that worsening tensions in the region could force Russia to respond. In his statement, he specifically mentioned Russia’s opposition to the Javelins, which Ukrainian forces have not yet used on the battlefield, as well as Turkish-made Bayraktar drones, which have been used to attack separatists positions. “Any provocation by the Ukrainian authorities to solve the problems of Donbass using force will be suppressed,” he said.

Russia-Ukraine sea encounter highlights jittery nerves in the region

Ahead of the G7 foreign ministers meet, UK's foreign minister Liz Truss said Russia would be committing a "strategic mistake" if it attacked Ukraine.

Truss said there would be "severe consequences if anything were to happen" referring to Russia's reported plan to attack Ukraine which has been dominated the European agenda in the past month.

The UK foreign minister also expressed concern over the Nordstream 2 natural gas pipeline project.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-will-happen-if-russian-troops-invade-ukraine-431684">Read in Pics:&nbsp;What will happen if Russian troops invade Ukraine?</a>

"Nordstream 2 is very important," Truss said, adding, "moving ahead with that in the case of this aggression that we're seeing by Russia with respect to Ukraine would be a problem."

Watch: President Biden reaffirms support for Ukraine in call with Zelenskyy

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-president-joe-biden-reaffirms-support-for-ukraine-in-call-with-volodymyr-zelenskyy-435814/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

President Biden during a virtual summit with President Putin had threatened sanctions if Russia attacked Ukraine with the UK foreign minister retreating that trade ties with London would be hit if the Ukraine situation went out of control.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nato-chief-jens-stoltenberg-turns-down-russias-demand-to-deny-ukraine-entry-436007">Also Read:&nbsp;NATO chief&nbsp;turns down Russia's demand to deny Ukraine entry</a>

President Biden had spoken to &nbsp;Germany's new chancellor Olaf Scholz on the tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

"We need to come together strongly to stand up to aggressors who are seeking to limit the bounds of freedom and democracy," Truss said.

India, South Korea, Australia and South Africa are set to participate as guests during the G7 summit.

Russia had said earlier that NATO should not allow Georgia and Ukraine into its military alliance and desist from expanding near its border in the east.

"In the fundamental interests of European security, it is necessary to officially disavow the decision of the 2008 NATO Bucharest summit that 'Ukraine and Georgia will become NATO members," the Russian foreign ministry said.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Ahead of the G7 foreign ministers meet, UK's foreign minister Liz Truss said Russia would be committing a "strategic mistake" if it attacked Ukraine. Truss said there would be "severe consequences if anything were to happen" referring to Russia's reported plan to attack Ukraine which has been dominated the European agenda in the past month.

Ahead of the G7 foreign ministers meet, UK's foreign minister Liz Truss said Russia would be committing a "strategic mistake" if it attacked Ukraine. Truss said there would be "severe consequences if anything were to happen" referring to Russia's reported plan to attack Ukraine which has been dominated the European agenda in the past month. The UK foreign minister also expressed concern over the Nordstream 2 natural gas pipeline project. Read in Pics: What will happen if Russian troops invade Ukraine? "Nordstream 2 is very important," Truss said, adding, "moving ahead with that in the case of this aggression that we're seeing by Russia with respect to Ukraine would be a problem." Watch: President Biden reaffirms support for Ukraine in call with Zelenskyy President Biden during a virtual summit with President Putin had threatened sanctions if Russia attacked Ukraine with the UK foreign minister retreating that trade ties with London would be hit if the Ukraine situation went out of control. Also Read: NATO chief turns down Russia's demand to deny Ukraine entry President Biden had spoken to Germany's new chancellor Olaf Scholz on the tensions between Ukraine and Russia. "We need to come together strongly to stand up to aggressors who are seeking to limit the bounds of freedom and democracy," Truss said. India, South Korea, Australia and South Africa are set to participate as guests during the G7 summit. Russia had said earlier that NATO should not allow Georgia and Ukraine into its military alliance and desist from expanding near its border in the east. "In the fundamental interests of European security, it is necessary to officially disavow the decision of the 2008 NATO Bucharest summit that 'Ukraine and Georgia will become NATO members," the Russian foreign ministry said. (With inputs from Agencies)

UK warns Russia on 'strategic mistake' over military action in Ukraine

The US State Department said on Thursday that secretary of state Antony Blinken told Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi that Russian aggression towards Ukraine would lead to "global security and economic risks".

Blinken told the Chinese foreign minister that "de-escalation and diplomacy" was the only way to resolve the crisis.

The US has repeatedly warned that Russia has massed over 100,000 along the Ukraine border with the intention to invade the country even as President Putin has dismissed the allegation asserting that Russian troops can move around anywhere inside the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-crisis-us-responds-to-russian-demands-upholds-natos-open-door-policy-447955">Also Read:&nbsp;US responds to Russian demands, upholds NATO's 'open-door' policy</a>

Russia had submitted a security document to the United States and NATO last month directing them not to extend their border to Russia's eastern region referring to Ukraine's participation in the European military alliance.&nbsp;

The Biden administration has however&nbsp;rejected Russia's security demand while calling for a diplomatic solution.

"From our perspective, I can't be more clear -&nbsp;NATO's door is open, remains open, and that is our commitment," Blinken said while clarifying NATO's stand on future membership for Ukraine.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/war-clouds-over-ukraine-explained-in-one-minute-447995/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Chinese foreign ministry backing Russia said the country's&nbsp;"reasonable security concerns should be taken seriously and resolved" while informing Wang told Blinken that "regional security cannot be guaranteed by strengthening or even expanding military blocs". &nbsp;

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Ukraine and Russian officials met in&nbsp;Paris on Wednesday and agreed to meet in Berlin again in two weeks. Ukraine described it as "good news".

"Russia is likely to remain on a diplomatic track," Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

NATO has put 8,500 troops on standby amid escalating tensions at the border between Ukraine and Russia. The US and EU have warned Russia of consequences including severe sanctions if Putin's regime invades Ukraine as NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is "prepared for the worst".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-normandy-format-talks-and-how-it-can-ease-russia-ukraine-crisis-447836">Also Read:&nbsp;Normandy Format talks and how it can ease Russia-Ukraine crisis</a>

Meanwhile, Ukraine's interior ministry said at least five people were killed after a national guard soldier opened fire at an aerospace factory in Dnipro after an attacker fired with a rifle and fled the area.

(With inputs from Agencies)

The US State Department said on Thursday that secretary of state Antony Blinken told Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi that Russian aggression towards Ukraine would lead to "global security and economic risks".

The US State Department said on Thursday that secretary of state Antony Blinken told Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi that Russian aggression towards Ukraine would lead to "global security and economic risks". Blinken told the Chinese foreign minister that "de-escalation and diplomacy" was the only way to resolve the crisis. The US has repeatedly warned that Russia has massed over 100,000 along the Ukraine border with the intention to invade the country even as President Putin has dismissed the allegation asserting that Russian troops can move around anywhere inside the country. Also Read: US responds to Russian demands, upholds NATO's 'open-door' policy Russia had submitted a security document to the United States and NATO last month directing them not to extend their border to Russia's eastern region referring to Ukraine's participation in the European military alliance. The Biden administration has however rejected Russia's security demand while calling for a diplomatic solution. "From our perspective, I can't be more clear - NATO's door is open, remains open, and that is our commitment," Blinken said while clarifying NATO's stand on future membership for Ukraine. Watch: The Chinese foreign ministry backing Russia said the country's "reasonable security concerns should be taken seriously and resolved" while informing Wang told Blinken that "regional security cannot be guaranteed by strengthening or even expanding military blocs". Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russian officials met in Paris on Wednesday and agreed to meet in Berlin again in two weeks. Ukraine described it as "good news". "Russia is likely to remain on a diplomatic track," Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said. NATO has put 8,500 troops on standby amid escalating tensions at the border between Ukraine and Russia. The US and EU have warned Russia of consequences including severe sanctions if Putin's regime invades Ukraine as NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is "prepared for the worst". Also Read: Normandy Format talks and how it can ease Russia-Ukraine crisis Meanwhile, Ukraine's interior ministry said at least five people were killed after a national guard soldier opened fire at an aerospace factory in Dnipro after an attacker fired with a rifle and fled the area. (With inputs from Agencies)

Russia's security concerns should be taken seriously: China tells US on Ukraine crisis

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russia has demanded ''concrete answers'' on security from NATO to end Ukraine stand-off.

''We are not negotiating from a position of strength, there is not and nor can there be any place for ultimatums here," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"The situation has simply reached such a critical point in terms of pan-European security and the national interests of our country...that we cannot delay further and the concerns we have voiced need concrete answers."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-holds-live-fire-military-drills-in-regions-near-ukraine-444127/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Senior NATO and Russian officials are trying to bridge seemingly irreconcilable differences over the future of Ukraine, amid deep skepticism that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s security proposals for easing tensions are genuine.

Both sides remain wedded to their starting positions, and have begun a round of tense diplomacy with some 100,000 Russian troops massed near Ukraine's frontier.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/slew-of-disputes-between-former-cold-war-adversaries-us-and-russia-443661">Slew of disputes between former Cold War adversaries US and Russia</a>

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg tweeted that “it is a timely opportunity for dialogue at a critical moment for European security. When tensions are high, it is even more important that we sit down around the same table and address our concerns.”

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today’s meeting of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NATO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NATO</a>–<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Russia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Russia</a> Council is underway. It is a timely opportunity for dialogue at a critical moment for European security. When tensions are high, it is even more important that we sit down around the same table and address our concerns. <a href="https://t.co/Ek8ey05aGL">pic.twitter.com/Ek8ey05aGL</a>
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/jensstoltenberg/status/1481196394534813698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The West defends NATO's "open-door policy" towards potential future members like Ukraine and Georgia, while Moscow is demanding a cast-iron guarantee that the alliance will not expand further towards its territory.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/rebel-held-regions-of-eastern-ukraine-are-growing-closer-to-russia-437500">Rebel-held regions of eastern Ukraine are growing closer to Russia</a>

"It's too early to tell whether the Russians are serious about the path to diplomacy or not, or if they're prepared to negotiate seriously -- we are," White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

US President Joe Biden's spokeswoman insisted: "NATO'S relationship with Ukraine is a matter only for Ukraine and the 30 NATO allies, not for other countries to determine."

NATO allies say that many of Russia's demands, laid out in two draft treaties in December, are unacceptable, including calls to scale back the alliance's activities to 1990s levels and promise not to take in new members.

The NATO-Russia Council, their chief forum for talks, was set up two decades ago but full meetings paused when Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014. It has met only sporadically since, the last time in July 2019. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russia has demanded ''concrete answers'' on security from NATO to end Ukraine stand-off. ''We are not negotiating from a position of strength, there is not and nor can there be any place for ultimatums here," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russia has demanded ''concrete answers'' on security from NATO to end Ukraine stand-off. ''We are not negotiating from a position of strength, there is not and nor can there be any place for ultimatums here," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "The situation has simply reached such a critical point in terms of pan-European security and the national interests of our country...that we cannot delay further and the concerns we have voiced need concrete answers." Senior NATO and Russian officials are trying to bridge seemingly irreconcilable differences over the future of Ukraine, amid deep skepticism that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s security proposals for easing tensions are genuine. Both sides remain wedded to their starting positions, and have begun a round of tense diplomacy with some 100,000 Russian troops massed near Ukraine's frontier. Also see | Slew of disputes between former Cold War adversaries US and Russia NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg tweeted that “it is a timely opportunity for dialogue at a critical moment for European security. When tensions are high, it is even more important that we sit down around the same table and address our concerns.” Today’s meeting of the #NATO–#Russia Council is underway. It is a timely opportunity for dialogue at a critical moment for European security. When tensions are high, it is even more important that we sit down around the same table and address our concerns. pic.twitter.com/Ek8ey05aGL — Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) January 12, 2022 × The West defends NATO's "open-door policy" towards potential future members like Ukraine and Georgia, while Moscow is demanding a cast-iron guarantee that the alliance will not expand further towards its territory. Also see | Rebel-held regions of eastern Ukraine are growing closer to Russia "It's too early to tell whether the Russians are serious about the path to diplomacy or not, or if they're prepared to negotiate seriously -- we are," White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. US President Joe Biden's spokeswoman insisted: "NATO'S relationship with Ukraine is a matter only for Ukraine and the 30 NATO allies, not for other countries to determine." NATO allies say that many of Russia's demands, laid out in two draft treaties in December, are unacceptable, including calls to scale back the alliance's activities to 1990s levels and promise not to take in new members. The NATO-Russia Council, their chief forum for talks, was set up two decades ago but full meetings paused when Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014. It has met only sporadically since, the last time in July 2019. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia demands 'concrete answers' on security from NATO to end Ukraine stand-off

According to reports, US President Joe Biden has asked his team of meteorologists to look at the Ukraine weather with Russia reportedly planning an invasion.&nbsp;

Reports claim President Putin has pushed back plans to invade Ukraine&nbsp;due to the mild winter condictions in the area.

The United States has been warning for the past two months that Russia is set to launch an attack on Ukraine as President Putin massed thousands of troops at the border.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/slew-of-disputes-between-former-cold-war-adversaries-us-and-russia-443661">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Slew of disputes between former Cold War adversaries US and Russia</a>

The Russian president has rejected reports while asserting that his defence forces have the right to move soldiers anywhere inside its territory.

Reports claim Russia was set to launch military action in January however the warm weather has reportedly "delayed" plans.

Watch:&nbsp;Russian troops conduct live-fire exercises near Ukraine

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/3000-russian-troops-conducts-live-fire-exercises-near-ukraine-amid-invasion-fears-444013/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Amid tensions at the border, talks have been underway between the United States and Russia in Geneva to de-escalate tensions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the talks were held in an "open, substantive and direct manner".

However, the Russian side added that there were "no clear deadlines" while adding that it won't be "satisfied with the endless dragging out of this process".

Kremlin had earlier sent a security document to the US and NATO listing its concerns. Russia had demanded that&nbsp;the European military alliance should not extend to its eastern border, a claim often reiterated by Putin.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/rebel-held-regions-of-eastern-ukraine-are-growing-closer-to-russia-437500">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Rebel-held regions of eastern Ukraine are growing closer to Russia</a>

US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman while rejecting Russia's proposals had said it was "non-starters to the United States". Russia has declared Ukraine's NATO membership is a "red line".

Tensions continue to simmer at the border as Russia conducted live-fire exercises with tanks along the Ukrainian border on Tuesday even as the US urged Russia to pull back troops.

(With inputs from Agencies)

According to reports, US President Joe Biden has asked his team of meteorologists to look at the Ukraine weather with Russia reportedly planning an invasion. Reports claim President Putin has pushed back plans to invade Ukraine due to the mild winter condictions in the area.

According to reports, US President Joe Biden has asked his team of meteorologists to look at the Ukraine weather with Russia reportedly planning an invasion. Reports claim President Putin has pushed back plans to invade Ukraine due to the mild winter condictions in the area. The United States has been warning for the past two months that Russia is set to launch an attack on Ukraine as President Putin massed thousands of troops at the border. Also Read in Pics: Slew of disputes between former Cold War adversaries US and Russia The Russian president has rejected reports while asserting that his defence forces have the right to move soldiers anywhere inside its territory. Reports claim Russia was set to launch military action in January however the warm weather has reportedly "delayed" plans. Watch: Russian troops conduct live-fire exercises near Ukraine Amid tensions at the border, talks have been underway between the United States and Russia in Geneva to de-escalate tensions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the talks were held in an "open, substantive and direct manner". However, the Russian side added that there were "no clear deadlines" while adding that it won't be "satisfied with the endless dragging out of this process". Kremlin had earlier sent a security document to the US and NATO listing its concerns. Russia had demanded that the European military alliance should not extend to its eastern border, a claim often reiterated by Putin. Also Read in Pics: Rebel-held regions of eastern Ukraine are growing closer to Russia US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman while rejecting Russia's proposals had said it was "non-starters to the United States". Russia has declared Ukraine's NATO membership is a "red line". Tensions continue to simmer at the border as Russia conducted live-fire exercises with tanks along the Ukrainian border on Tuesday even as the US urged Russia to pull back troops. (With inputs from Agencies)

Biden enlists meteorologists to predict Russia's Ukraine invasion plan: Report

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has warned Russia of "severe costs" if it launches a further attack on Ukraine.

It comes after senior US and Russian officials launched special talks Monday aimed at defusing tensions over a Russian military buildup on the border with Ukraine, part of a flurry of diplomatic activity in Europe this week.

"I don't think we can expect that these meetings will solve all the issues. What we are hoping for is that we can agree on a way forward, that we can agree on a series of meetings, that we can agree on a process," Stoltenberg told a news conference alongside Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-russia-kick-off-talks-in-geneva-high-stakes-meet-amid-rising-tensions-443597/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We are working hard for a peaceful political path and we are ready to continue to work with Russia to try to find that path towards a peaceful solution."

"We are aiming for an agreement on a way forward, a process, a series of meetings," he said.&nbsp;

"At the same time, we need to be prepared that Russia once again chooses to use armed force, chooses confrontation instead of cooperation," he added.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/slew-of-disputes-between-former-cold-war-adversaries-us-and-russia-443661">Slew of disputes between former Cold War adversaries US and Russia</a>

Moscow has sought to wrest a string of concessions from the US&nbsp;and its Western allies, including guarantees that NATO will no longer expand eastward into former Soviet states like Ukraine, along whose border Russia has massed an estimated 100,000 troops in steps that have raised concerns about a possible military intervention there.

The United States and NATO say large parts of the Russian proposals are non-starters and Stefanishyna said Russia's demands for security guarantees were no basis for negotiations.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-crisis-russia-says-preliminary-talks-with-us-in-geneva-complex-but-businesslike-443468" hreflang="en">Ukraine crisis: Russia says preliminary talks with US in Geneva 'complex but businesslike'</a>

"Russia demands unconditional surrender, demands to undermine the basic principles of functioning of the democratic countries and the principles of NATO," she said.&nbsp;

"We should all realise that Russia's demands to allies cannot be considered as a negotiating position."&nbsp;

"(The) aggressor is not in a position to put conditions until the Russian tanks are out of Ukrainian border."

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and his delegation arrived under Swiss police escort at the US&nbsp;diplomatic mission in Geneva for face-to-face talks with Wendy Sherman, the US deputy secretary of state, and her team.&nbsp;

The meeting is part of “Strategic Security Dialogue” talks on arms control and other broad issues launched by Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin during a June summit in the Swiss city.

 
(With inputs from agencies)

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has warned Russia of "severe costs" if it launches a further attack on Ukraine. It comes after senior US and Russian officials launched special talks Monday aimed at defusing tensions over a Russian military buildup on the border with Ukraine, part of a flurry of diplomatic activity in Europe this week.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has warned Russia of "severe costs" if it launches a further attack on Ukraine. It comes after senior US and Russian officials launched special talks Monday aimed at defusing tensions over a Russian military buildup on the border with Ukraine, part of a flurry of diplomatic activity in Europe this week. "I don't think we can expect that these meetings will solve all the issues. What we are hoping for is that we can agree on a way forward, that we can agree on a series of meetings, that we can agree on a process," Stoltenberg told a news conference alongside Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna. "We are working hard for a peaceful political path and we are ready to continue to work with Russia to try to find that path towards a peaceful solution." "We are aiming for an agreement on a way forward, a process, a series of meetings," he said. "At the same time, we need to be prepared that Russia once again chooses to use armed force, chooses confrontation instead of cooperation," he added. Also see | Slew of disputes between former Cold War adversaries US and Russia Moscow has sought to wrest a string of concessions from the US and its Western allies, including guarantees that NATO will no longer expand eastward into former Soviet states like Ukraine, along whose border Russia has massed an estimated 100,000 troops in steps that have raised concerns about a possible military intervention there. The United States and NATO say large parts of the Russian proposals are non-starters and Stefanishyna said Russia's demands for security guarantees were no basis for negotiations. Also read | Ukraine crisis: Russia says preliminary talks with US in Geneva 'complex but businesslike' "Russia demands unconditional surrender, demands to undermine the basic principles of functioning of the democratic countries and the principles of NATO," she said. "We should all realise that Russia's demands to allies cannot be considered as a negotiating position." "(The) aggressor is not in a position to put conditions until the Russian tanks are out of Ukrainian border." Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and his delegation arrived under Swiss police escort at the US diplomatic mission in Geneva for face-to-face talks with Wendy Sherman, the US deputy secretary of state, and her team. The meeting is part of “Strategic Security Dialogue” talks on arms control and other broad issues launched by Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin during a June summit in the Swiss city. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia-Ukraine conflict: NATO chief warns Moscow of 'severe costs' if Kiev attacked

The United States and its NATO allies are moving to bulk up their military commitments in the Baltics and Eastern Europe as the standoff with Russia over Ukraine deepens.

Denmark is sending fighter jets to Lithuania and a frigate to the Baltic Sea. France has offered to send troops to Romania. Spain is sending a frigate to the Black Sea. President Joe Biden has put thousands of U.S. troops on “high alert.”

And then there is Germany. In recent days, Germany — Europe’s largest and richest democracy, strategically situated at the crossroads between East and West — has stood out more for what it will not do than for what it is doing.

No European country matters more to European unity and the Western alliance. But as Germany struggles to overcome its post-World War II reluctance to lead on security matters in Europe and set aside its instinct to accommodate rather than confront Russia, Europe’s most pivotal country has waffled in the first crucial test for the new government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Germany’s evident hesitation to take forceful measures has fueled doubts about its reliability as an ally — reversing the dynamic with the United States in recent years — and added to concerns that Moscow could use German wavering as a wedge to divide a European response to any Russian aggression.

Biden held a video call with European leaders Monday night, saying it went “very, very, very” well, and beforehand Scholz reiterated that Russia would suffer “high costs” in case of a military intervention. But Germany’s allies have still been left to wonder what cost it is prepared to bear to confront possible Russian aggression.

“Within the European Union, Germany is crucial to achieve unity,” said Norbert Röttgen, a senior conservative lawmaker and advocate of a more muscular German foreign policy. “Putin’s goal is to split the Europeans, and then split Europe and the U.S. If the impression prevails that Germany is not fully committed to a strong NATO response, he will have succeeded in paralyzing Europe and dividing the alliance.”

As Russia held military drills near the Ukrainian border Tuesday, Scholz met with President Emmanuel Macron of France in Berlin, warning Moscow that “a military aggression calling into question the territorial integrity of Ukraine would have grave consequences.”

But the German government has not only ruled out any arms exports to Ukraine, it is also holding up a shipment of nine communist-era howitzers from Estonia to Ukraine.

Scholz and other senior Social Democrats in his government and party have been vague about whether shuttering the controversial Nord Stream 2 undersea gas pipeline from Russia to Germany would be part of an arsenal of possible sanctions against Russia, insisting it was a “private-sector project” and one “separate” from Ukraine.

Friedrich Merz, the designated new leader of Angela Merkel’s opposition conservative party, meanwhile, has warned against excluding Russian banks from the Swift payment transactions network that handles global financial transfers because it would “harm” Germany’s economic interests.

Germany’s muddled stance has been especially unsettling to Ukraine and its eastern neighbors. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Berlin of effectively “encouraging” Russian aggression. Other were no less scathing.

“Berlin is making a big strategic mistake and putting its reputation at risk,” Laurynas Kasčiūnas, chair of the national security committee of the Lithuanian Parliament, told public broadcaster LRT.

Artis Pabriks, Latvia’s defense minister, said these days German deterrence was “not sending weapons to Ukraine, but a field hospital.”

The strain in the alliance came to a head this past weekend, when the chief of the German navy said President Vladimir Putin of Russia deserved “respect” and that Crimea would “never” be returned to Ukraine. Vice Adm. Kay-Achim Schönbach resigned, but the backlash was swift and emotional.

“This patronizing attitude subconsciously also reminds Ukrainians of the horrors of the Nazi occupation, when Ukrainians were treated as subhuman,” said Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany.

Washington has been at pains to publicly stress its trust in Berlin, while privately lobbying Scholz to take a harder line.

Biden sent several emissaries to Berlin. William J. Burns, head of the CIA, presented Scholz with the latest intelligence on Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who stopped in Berlin before meeting his Russian counterpart in Geneva last week, said Sunday he had “no doubts” about Germany’s determination to stand up to Russia.

“It is telling that the U.S. has to publicly reaffirm its trust in Germany,” Jana Puglierin of the Berlin-based European Council on Foreign Relations said. “That used to be a given.”

The wrenching debate over where precisely German loyalties lie is not new. Russian-German relations have been shaped by centuries of trade and cultural exchange but also two World Wars. The Cold War added yet another layer of complexity: West Germany became firmly embedded in the Western alliance while East Germany lived under Soviet occupation.

“Why do we see Russia differently from the Americans? History,” said Matthias Platzeck, chair of the Russian-German Forum and a former chair of Scholz’ Social Democrats. “Germany and Russia have been linked for a thousand years. The biggest Russian czarina was Catherine the Great, a German, who incidentally made Crimea part of Russia.”

“We attacked Russia twice, and the second time it was a genocidal war,” he added. “Twenty-seven million Soviets died, 15 million Russians among them.”

That does not mean that Germany has failed to stand up to Russia in recent years. Germany commands a multinational NATO battle unit in Lithuania and helps monitor Baltic airspace for Russian interference. It is planning to send fighter jets to Romania next month to do the same there. (And yes, it is also sending a field hospital to Kyiv, Ukraine, next month.)

In 2014, when Putin invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea, it was Merkel who rallied neighboring countries in East and West to back tough sanctions on Russia.

But the change of German leadership after 16 years with Merkel at the helm has put in place a government that is divided on how hard a line to draw with Russia.

Scholz’s Social Democrats have traditionally favored a policy of working with the Russians. In the 1970s, Chancellor Willy Brandt engineered the policy of rapprochement with Moscow during the Cold War, while the last Social Democratic chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, is not just a close friend of Putin (he celebrated his 70th birthday with him) but has been on the payroll of Russian energy companies since 2005.

The new Green Party foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, has been more outspoken on being tougher on Russia. But even she has drawn a line on sending German arms to Ukraine, citing “history.”

The arms-export policy in many ways embodies the modern German paradox of a nation that knows it has to assume more leadership responsibility in the world but is not quite ready to act that way.

“The idea that Germany delivers weapons that could then be used to kill Russians is very difficult to stomach for many Germans,” said Marcel Dirsus, a political analyst and nonresident fellow at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University in Germany.

The government has been even more divided over Nord Stream 2, a gas pipeline owned by Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy company, that many fear will hand Putin an easy way to exert influence over America’s European allies.

Russia is Europe’s main supplier of natural gas. Once Nord Stream 2 is operational, Gazprom would be able to sell additional gas to European customers without paying transit fees to Ukraine.

Championed by Merkel in 2015, a year after Russia first invaded Ukraine, Nord Stream 2 has long inflamed Washington and European capitals alike.

While the Green Party's Baerbock has not been shy about expressing her hostility toward the project, Merkel and Scholz have defended it on economic and energy security grounds and long ruled out using it as leverage in talks about sanctions.

It was only last week, standing next to the NATO general secretary, that the chancellor shifted his language, saying that “everything” would be on the table in case of a Russian invasion.

“Putin gave NATO a new reason to exist,” Dirsus said. “Who knows, maybe he can teach the Germans once and for all that the world has changed and they need to be prepared to pay to defend peace.”

The United States and its NATO allies are moving to bulk up their military commitments in the Baltics and Eastern Europe as the standoff with Russia over Ukraine deepens.

The United States and its NATO allies are moving to bulk up their military commitments in the Baltics and Eastern Europe as the standoff with Russia over Ukraine deepens. Denmark is sending fighter jets to Lithuania and a frigate to the Baltic Sea. France has offered to send troops to Romania. Spain is sending a frigate to the Black Sea. President Joe Biden has put thousands of U.S. troops on “high alert.” And then there is Germany. In recent days, Germany — Europe’s largest and richest democracy, strategically situated at the crossroads between East and West — has stood out more for what it will not do than for what it is doing. No European country matters more to European unity and the Western alliance. But as Germany struggles to overcome its post-World War II reluctance to lead on security matters in Europe and set aside its instinct to accommodate rather than confront Russia, Europe’s most pivotal country has waffled in the first crucial test for the new government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Germany’s evident hesitation to take forceful measures has fueled doubts about its reliability as an ally — reversing the dynamic with the United States in recent years — and added to concerns that Moscow could use German wavering as a wedge to divide a European response to any Russian aggression. Biden held a video call with European leaders Monday night, saying it went “very, very, very” well, and beforehand Scholz reiterated that Russia would suffer “high costs” in case of a military intervention. But Germany’s allies have still been left to wonder what cost it is prepared to bear to confront possible Russian aggression. “Within the European Union, Germany is crucial to achieve unity,” said Norbert Röttgen, a senior conservative lawmaker and advocate of a more muscular German foreign policy. “Putin’s goal is to split the Europeans, and then split Europe and the U.S. If the impression prevails that Germany is not fully committed to a strong NATO response, he will have succeeded in paralyzing Europe and dividing the alliance.” As Russia held military drills near the Ukrainian border Tuesday, Scholz met with President Emmanuel Macron of France in Berlin, warning Moscow that “a military aggression calling into question the territorial integrity of Ukraine would have grave consequences.” But the German government has not only ruled out any arms exports to Ukraine, it is also holding up a shipment of nine communist-era howitzers from Estonia to Ukraine. Scholz and other senior Social Democrats in his government and party have been vague about whether shuttering the controversial Nord Stream 2 undersea gas pipeline from Russia to Germany would be part of an arsenal of possible sanctions against Russia, insisting it was a “private-sector project” and one “separate” from Ukraine. Friedrich Merz, the designated new leader of Angela Merkel’s opposition conservative party, meanwhile, has warned against excluding Russian banks from the Swift payment transactions network that handles global financial transfers because it would “harm” Germany’s economic interests. Germany’s muddled stance has been especially unsettling to Ukraine and its eastern neighbors. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Berlin of effectively “encouraging” Russian aggression. Other were no less scathing. “Berlin is making a big strategic mistake and putting its reputation at risk,” Laurynas Kasčiūnas, chair of the national security committee of the Lithuanian Parliament, told public broadcaster LRT. Artis Pabriks, Latvia’s defense minister, said these days German deterrence was “not sending weapons to Ukraine, but a field hospital.” The strain in the alliance came to a head this past weekend, when the chief of the German navy said President Vladimir Putin of Russia deserved “respect” and that Crimea would “never” be returned to Ukraine. Vice Adm. Kay-Achim Schönbach resigned, but the backlash was swift and emotional. “This patronizing attitude subconsciously also reminds Ukrainians of the horrors of the Nazi occupation, when Ukrainians were treated as subhuman,” said Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany. Washington has been at pains to publicly stress its trust in Berlin, while privately lobbying Scholz to take a harder line. Biden sent several emissaries to Berlin. William J. Burns, head of the CIA, presented Scholz with the latest intelligence on Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who stopped in Berlin before meeting his Russian counterpart in Geneva last week, said Sunday he had “no doubts” about Germany’s determination to stand up to Russia. “It is telling that the U.S. has to publicly reaffirm its trust in Germany,” Jana Puglierin of the Berlin-based European Council on Foreign Relations said. “That used to be a given.” The wrenching debate over where precisely German loyalties lie is not new. Russian-German relations have been shaped by centuries of trade and cultural exchange but also two World Wars. The Cold War added yet another layer of complexity: West Germany became firmly embedded in the Western alliance while East Germany lived under Soviet occupation. “Why do we see Russia differently from the Americans? History,” said Matthias Platzeck, chair of the Russian-German Forum and a former chair of Scholz’ Social Democrats. “Germany and Russia have been linked for a thousand years. The biggest Russian czarina was Catherine the Great, a German, who incidentally made Crimea part of Russia.” “We attacked Russia twice, and the second time it was a genocidal war,” he added. “Twenty-seven million Soviets died, 15 million Russians among them.” That does not mean that Germany has failed to stand up to Russia in recent years. Germany commands a multinational NATO battle unit in Lithuania and helps monitor Baltic airspace for Russian interference. It is planning to send fighter jets to Romania next month to do the same there. (And yes, it is also sending a field hospital to Kyiv, Ukraine, next month.) In 2014, when Putin invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea, it was Merkel who rallied neighboring countries in East and West to back tough sanctions on Russia. But the change of German leadership after 16 years with Merkel at the helm has put in place a government that is divided on how hard a line to draw with Russia. Scholz’s Social Democrats have traditionally favored a policy of working with the Russians. In the 1970s, Chancellor Willy Brandt engineered the policy of rapprochement with Moscow during the Cold War, while the last Social Democratic chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, is not just a close friend of Putin (he celebrated his 70th birthday with him) but has been on the payroll of Russian energy companies since 2005. The new Green Party foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, has been more outspoken on being tougher on Russia. But even she has drawn a line on sending German arms to Ukraine, citing “history.” The arms-export policy in many ways embodies the modern German paradox of a nation that knows it has to assume more leadership responsibility in the world but is not quite ready to act that way. “The idea that Germany delivers weapons that could then be used to kill Russians is very difficult to stomach for many Germans,” said Marcel Dirsus, a political analyst and nonresident fellow at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University in Germany. The government has been even more divided over Nord Stream 2, a gas pipeline owned by Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy company, that many fear will hand Putin an easy way to exert influence over America’s European allies. Russia is Europe’s main supplier of natural gas. Once Nord Stream 2 is operational, Gazprom would be able to sell additional gas to European customers without paying transit fees to Ukraine. Championed by Merkel in 2015, a year after Russia first invaded Ukraine, Nord Stream 2 has long inflamed Washington and European capitals alike. While the Green Party's Baerbock has not been shy about expressing her hostility toward the project, Merkel and Scholz have defended it on economic and energy security grounds and long ruled out using it as leverage in talks about sanctions. It was only last week, standing next to the NATO general secretary, that the chancellor shifted his language, saying that “everything” would be on the table in case of a Russian invasion. “Putin gave NATO a new reason to exist,” Dirsus said. “Who knows, maybe he can teach the Germans once and for all that the world has changed and they need to be prepared to pay to defend peace.”

Where is Germany in the Ukraine standoff? Its allies wonder.

Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has dismissed Russian demand to "never join" the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as "illegitimate", highlighting "Russian aggression" against his country "as well as Georgia and Moldova".

In&nbsp;response to a WION question, FM Kuleba said, "although we consider Russian demands that Ukraine will never become a member of NATO unacceptable and illegitimate, our country does not stand against a dialogue between Russia and the West as such."

He further added that "during any dialogue, the core principle must be observed: no agreements must be made on Ukraine without Ukraine."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-officials-release-footage-where-man-bursts-into-flames-on-being-tased-by-police-after-using-sanitizer-443052">Also Read |&nbsp;US discussed shipping Stinger missiles to Ukraine: Report</a>

Moscow is worried that Ukraine may join the&nbsp;30-country military alliance NATO fearing Russian security will be impacted, which Kyiv has dismissed. The Russia- Ukraine crisis has worried several western capitals&nbsp;with concerns of a Russian invasion of the country threatening the stability of Europe.

Foreign minister Kuleba pointed that, "Russian Federation has continued to send new troops to the border with Ukraine"&nbsp;and&nbsp;as of "30 December 2021, 52 battalion tactical groups have been deployed in close proximity to Ukrainian territory.".

The minister added that the&nbsp;total number of forces along the "border, and in the occupied Donbas and Crimea reached 126,000 troops, which includes 105,000 troops being present on the ground and 21,000 as naval and air components."

The seeds of the current crisis goes back to the 2014 Russian- Ukraine conflict that led to the Russian annexation of Crimea.

The peninsula internationally is still considered as part of Ukraine&nbsp;and around eight&nbsp;countries only - Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua, Sudan, Syria, and Zimbabwe have recognised the result of the 2014 referendum that led to the region coming under Russian administration.

The response sent by Ukraine foreign ministry said Russia has "developed capabilities to deploy more units in a short period of time, from one to two weeks" even as last year saw the country conducting "2,500 military drills near the border with Ukraine, strengthening the readiness of its forces to be involved in new military operations on Ukrainian soil" which include "use of troops, artillery, anti-tank weapons, reconnaissance and engineering units".

Ties between the two&nbsp;countries&nbsp;which share ethnic ties deteriorated&nbsp;after the 2014 "Revolution of dignity" in Ukraine that toppled pro- Moscow President&nbsp;Viktor Yanukovych. Post-revolution, the country increased its engagement with the West which has perturbed Russia.

The foreign minister, giving data said, "from January 1 to December 30, 2021, Russian forces launched 2,457 attacks against Ukrainian positions, leaving 66 Ukrainian soldiers dead and 273 wounded", while adding, "30 servicemen of the Ukrainian armed forces were killed by snipers and&nbsp;14 were wounded."

He said, "Russia is also trying to undermine the energy security of Ukraine, including through decreasing gas transit, blocking the export of coal and forcing Belarus to ban electricity supplies. "

Even as the situation remains precarious, security talks will take place between Russia and the US on January 10 in Geneva&nbsp;and Russia and NATO will meet&nbsp;on January 12 in Brussels.

Ukraine's foriegn minister Dmytro Kuleba listed key things that are required from Russia which includes&nbsp;"immediately withdraw its forces from the border with Ukraine and from the occupied territories", "de-occupy parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, as well as the Crimean peninsula", "withdraw forces and mercenaries from the occupied parts of Georgia and Moldova"&nbsp;and&nbsp;"recognise the right of any nation to decide its future, including joining international blocs and alliances."

Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has dismissed Russian demand to "never join" the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as "illegitimate", highlighting "Russian aggression" against his country "as well as Georgia and Moldova".

Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has dismissed Russian demand to "never join" the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as "illegitimate", highlighting "Russian aggression" against his country "as well as Georgia and Moldova". In response to a WION question, FM Kuleba said, "although we consider Russian demands that Ukraine will never become a member of NATO unacceptable and illegitimate, our country does not stand against a dialogue between Russia and the West as such." He further added that "during any dialogue, the core principle must be observed: no agreements must be made on Ukraine without Ukraine." Also Read | US discussed shipping Stinger missiles to Ukraine: Report Moscow is worried that Ukraine may join the 30-country military alliance NATO fearing Russian security will be impacted, which Kyiv has dismissed. The Russia- Ukraine crisis has worried several western capitals with concerns of a Russian invasion of the country threatening the stability of Europe. Foreign minister Kuleba pointed that, "Russian Federation has continued to send new troops to the border with Ukraine" and as of "30 December 2021, 52 battalion tactical groups have been deployed in close proximity to Ukrainian territory.". The minister added that the total number of forces along the "border, and in the occupied Donbas and Crimea reached 126,000 troops, which includes 105,000 troops being present on the ground and 21,000 as naval and air components." The seeds of the current crisis goes back to the 2014 Russian- Ukraine conflict that led to the Russian annexation of Crimea. The peninsula internationally is still considered as part of Ukraine and around eight countries only - Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua, Sudan, Syria, and Zimbabwe have recognised the result of the 2014 referendum that led to the region coming under Russian administration. The response sent by Ukraine foreign ministry said Russia has "developed capabilities to deploy more units in a short period of time, from one to two weeks" even as last year saw the country conducting "2,500 military drills near the border with Ukraine, strengthening the readiness of its forces to be involved in new military operations on Ukrainian soil" which include "use of troops, artillery, anti-tank weapons, reconnaissance and engineering units". Ties between the two countries which share ethnic ties deteriorated after the 2014 "Revolution of dignity" in Ukraine that toppled pro- Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych. Post-revolution, the country increased its engagement with the West which has perturbed Russia. The foreign minister, giving data said, "from January 1 to December 30, 2021, Russian forces launched 2,457 attacks against Ukrainian positions, leaving 66 Ukrainian soldiers dead and 273 wounded", while adding, "30 servicemen of the Ukrainian armed forces were killed by snipers and 14 were wounded." He said, "Russia is also trying to undermine the energy security of Ukraine, including through decreasing gas transit, blocking the export of coal and forcing Belarus to ban electricity supplies. " Even as the situation remains precarious, security talks will take place between Russia and the US on January 10 in Geneva and Russia and NATO will meet on January 12 in Brussels. Ukraine's foriegn minister Dmytro Kuleba listed key things that are required from Russia which includes "immediately withdraw its forces from the border with Ukraine and from the occupied territories", "de-occupy parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, as well as the Crimean peninsula", "withdraw forces and mercenaries from the occupied parts of Georgia and Moldova" and "recognise the right of any nation to decide its future, including joining international blocs and alliances."

Russian demand that we never become NATO member illegitimate: Ukraine foreign minister to WION

In a forested area just outside Ukraine's capital Kiev, mock Russian troops ambush camouflage-clad army reservists.

The would-be Ukrainian soldiers, who include architects and researchers in their ranks, return fire with replica Kalashnikovs as imitation smoke grenades explode around them.

"I believe that every person in this country should know what to do... if the enemy invades their country," Daniil Larin, a 19-year-old university student, told AFP during a short break from the exercises.

Larin was one of about 50 Ukrainian civilians who drove from Kiev to an abandoned Soviet-era asphalt plant on a recent weekend afternoon to train for how to defend their country in the event of a Russian invasion.

Dozens of civilians have been joining Ukraine's army reserves in recent months, as fears have mounted that Russia -- which Kiev says has massed around 100,000 troops on its side of the border -- is plotting to launch a large-scale attack.

Ukraine's army, which totals 215,000 soldiers, has been battling a Moscow-backed insurgency in two breakaway regions since 2014 in a long-simmering conflict that has claimed over 13,000 lives.

While Moscow has denied it is planning an invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not excluded a military response should the US-led NATO alliance -- which Ukraine wants to join -- expand eastward.

The Ukrainian reservists, who have ballooned to about 100,000 members, have been learning "how to handle weapons, how to behave in a battle environment, how to defend cities," Larin told AFP.

- Living with war -

Marta Yuzkiv, a 51-year-old doctor, believes that the Russian army is "far superior" to Ukraine's and the risk of a full-scale invasion is "high enough" to have joined the reserves.

"Only if everyone is ready to defend our land, then there will be a chance," she said.

Since joining up in April, when Russia first deployed around 100,000 troops on Ukraine's border, Yuzkiv has trained for several hours every Saturday in providing tactical medicine, shooting automatic rifles and deploying checkpoints.

While the army provided her with a military uniform, she spent her own money on a helmet, bulletproof jacket and tactical goggles.

The trainees are part of reservist battalions set up to protect Kiev in the event of an attack on Ukraine's largest city.

One battalion commander, Vadym Ozirny, said that after mobilising at a rendezvous point, the reservists will get to work protecting administrative buildings and critical infrastructure as well as helping residents evacuate.

"These people must arrive, receive weapons and carry out command assignments, defend their home," Ozirny told AFP.

Denys Semyrog-Orlyk, one of the most experienced reservists in the unit, said he is ready to counter a real offensive.

"I have been living for the eighth year with the thought that until we give Russia a good blow in the face, they will not leave us alone," the 46-year-old architect told AFP.

"I clearly understand that I am a serviceman. I might be called up and I must act fully as a serviceman."

In a forested area just outside Ukraine's capital Kiev, mock Russian troops ambush camouflage-clad army reservists. The would-be Ukrainian soldiers, who include architects and researchers in their ranks, return fire with replica Kalashnikovs as imitation smoke grenades explode around them.

In a forested area just outside Ukraine's capital Kiev, mock Russian troops ambush camouflage-clad army reservists. The would-be Ukrainian soldiers, who include architects and researchers in their ranks, return fire with replica Kalashnikovs as imitation smoke grenades explode around them. "I believe that every person in this country should know what to do... if the enemy invades their country," Daniil Larin, a 19-year-old university student, told AFP during a short break from the exercises. Larin was one of about 50 Ukrainian civilians who drove from Kiev to an abandoned Soviet-era asphalt plant on a recent weekend afternoon to train for how to defend their country in the event of a Russian invasion. Dozens of civilians have been joining Ukraine's army reserves in recent months, as fears have mounted that Russia -- which Kiev says has massed around 100,000 troops on its side of the border -- is plotting to launch a large-scale attack. Ukraine's army, which totals 215,000 soldiers, has been battling a Moscow-backed insurgency in two breakaway regions since 2014 in a long-simmering conflict that has claimed over 13,000 lives. While Moscow has denied it is planning an invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not excluded a military response should the US-led NATO alliance -- which Ukraine wants to join -- expand eastward. The Ukrainian reservists, who have ballooned to about 100,000 members, have been learning "how to handle weapons, how to behave in a battle environment, how to defend cities," Larin told AFP. - Living with war - Marta Yuzkiv, a 51-year-old doctor, believes that the Russian army is "far superior" to Ukraine's and the risk of a full-scale invasion is "high enough" to have joined the reserves. "Only if everyone is ready to defend our land, then there will be a chance," she said. Since joining up in April, when Russia first deployed around 100,000 troops on Ukraine's border, Yuzkiv has trained for several hours every Saturday in providing tactical medicine, shooting automatic rifles and deploying checkpoints. While the army provided her with a military uniform, she spent her own money on a helmet, bulletproof jacket and tactical goggles. The trainees are part of reservist battalions set up to protect Kiev in the event of an attack on Ukraine's largest city. One battalion commander, Vadym Ozirny, said that after mobilising at a rendezvous point, the reservists will get to work protecting administrative buildings and critical infrastructure as well as helping residents evacuate. "These people must arrive, receive weapons and carry out command assignments, defend their home," Ozirny told AFP. Denys Semyrog-Orlyk, one of the most experienced reservists in the unit, said he is ready to counter a real offensive. "I have been living for the eighth year with the thought that until we give Russia a good blow in the face, they will not leave us alone," the 46-year-old architect told AFP. "I clearly understand that I am a serviceman. I might be called up and I must act fully as a serviceman."

Ukraine trains civilians to defend against Russian invasion

Amid tensions at the border with Ukraine, Russian President&nbsp;Vladimir&nbsp;Putin said today that it's "almost impossible" to have good relations with the current Ukrainian authorities referring to President Zelenskiy.

"President Zelenskiy came to power and instead of meeting got under the influence of radical nationalistic forces," Putin said as tensions continue on the border with Ukraine with thousands of Russian troops massed at the border.

Putin spoke about the Russian rebels in Ukraine's Donbass asserting that his regime was ready to play the role of a "mediator"&nbsp;to secure the future of the people in the area.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/training-civilians-ukraine-nurtures-a-resistance-in-waiting-440215/amp">Also Read:&nbsp;Training civilians, Ukraine nurtures a resistance in waiting</a>

However, the Russian president said the Ukrainian authorities call the rebels "terrorists and say they won't talk to them."

President Zelenskiy has however said he is ready for talks with Russia, a move which has been rejected by the Russian side.

Watch: Gravitas |&nbsp;&nbsp;Russia pulls back 10,000 soldiers from Ukraine border

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-russia-pulls-back-10000-soldiers-from-ukraine-border-440517/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Meanwhile, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has sought a meeting with the Russia Council early next year after the Russian foreign ministry said it was ready for a meeting over Ukraine. Putin has consistently maintained that NATO should not extend its border to the east pointing towards Ukraine.

TASS news agency quoted deputy foreign minister Sergey Ryabkov as saying that the regime is "not bluffing" on security proposals forwarded to NATO and the US.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/satellite-images-expose-russias-attempts-of-building-up-forces-near-ukraine-439845">Also Read:&nbsp;Satellite images expose Russia's attempts of building up forces near Ukraine</a>

"These are our real proposals. The West’s awareness of this needs to be facilitated and we are going to make every effort to achieve it," &nbsp;Ryabkov was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency.

(With inputs from Agencies)&nbsp; &nbsp;

Amid tensions at the border with Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that it's "almost impossible" to have good relations with the current Ukrainian authorities referring to President Zelenskiy.

Amid tensions at the border with Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that it's "almost impossible" to have good relations with the current Ukrainian authorities referring to President Zelenskiy. "President Zelenskiy came to power and instead of meeting got under the influence of radical nationalistic forces," Putin said as tensions continue on the border with Ukraine with thousands of Russian troops massed at the border. Putin spoke about the Russian rebels in Ukraine's Donbass asserting that his regime was ready to play the role of a "mediator" to secure the future of the people in the area. Also Read: Training civilians, Ukraine nurtures a resistance in waiting However, the Russian president said the Ukrainian authorities call the rebels "terrorists and say they won't talk to them." President Zelenskiy has however said he is ready for talks with Russia, a move which has been rejected by the Russian side. Watch: Gravitas | Russia pulls back 10,000 soldiers from Ukraine border Meanwhile, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has sought a meeting with the Russia Council early next year after the Russian foreign ministry said it was ready for a meeting over Ukraine. Putin has consistently maintained that NATO should not extend its border to the east pointing towards Ukraine. TASS news agency quoted deputy foreign minister Sergey Ryabkov as saying that the regime is "not bluffing" on security proposals forwarded to NATO and the US. Also Read: Satellite images expose Russia's attempts of building up forces near Ukraine "These are our real proposals. The West’s awareness of this needs to be facilitated and we are going to make every effort to achieve it," Ryabkov was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency. (With inputs from Agencies)

Ukraine President Zelenskiy under influence of radical nationalistic forces, says Putin

Amid tensions with Ukraine, Russia's defence ministry said it has been tracking&nbsp;French Navy’s missile frigate Auvergne after&nbsp;it entered the Black Sea.

The French ship specialises in anti-submarine warfare. Last week the Russian defence ministry had said its Air Force jets had escorted American and French planes over the Black Sea.

As tensions have mounted over Ukraine with reports claiming Russian has amassed thousands of troops at the border, President Putin called for talks with NATO and the US to ensure "international legal guarantees" for Russia's security.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-will-happen-if-russian-troops-invade-ukraine-431684">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;What will happen if Russian troops invade Ukraine?</a>

Putin reiterated his message for talks during his phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Russia wants NATO not to expand into its eastern border as tensions have escalated with Ukraine. President Putin had spoken to US President Biden over a video link last week as the US president threatened to impose large scale sanctions against Russia if it attacked Ukraine.

Watch:&nbsp;Russia threatens to deploy nuclear missiles in Europe

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-threatens-to-deploy-nuclear-missiles-in-europe-amid-tensions-in-ukraine-436828/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Meanwhile, Ukraine accused Germany of preventing the shipment of anti-drone rifles and anti-sniper systems from NATO.&nbsp;

President Volodymyr Zelensky's government has repeatedly asserted that Putin's regime is set to invade the country, a claim denied by Kremlin which says it is free to move its troops anywhere within its territory.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-invasion-would-be-a-costly-mistake-boris-johnson-warns-putin-436696">Also Read:&nbsp;Ukraine invasion would be a costly mistake, Boris Johnson warns Putin</a>

Amid heightened tensions, Ukraine's parliament approved a draft law to allow foreign troops to take part in military exercises in the country. Ukraine is planning to hold large military exercises next year.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Amid tensions with Ukraine, Russia's defence ministry said it has been tracking French Navy’s missile frigate Auvergne after it entered the Black Sea. The French ship specialises in anti-submarine warfare.

Amid tensions with Ukraine, Russia's defence ministry said it has been tracking French Navy’s missile frigate Auvergne after it entered the Black Sea. The French ship specialises in anti-submarine warfare. Last week the Russian defence ministry had said its Air Force jets had escorted American and French planes over the Black Sea. As tensions have mounted over Ukraine with reports claiming Russian has amassed thousands of troops at the border, President Putin called for talks with NATO and the US to ensure "international legal guarantees" for Russia's security. Also Read in Pics: What will happen if Russian troops invade Ukraine? Putin reiterated his message for talks during his phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron. Russia wants NATO not to expand into its eastern border as tensions have escalated with Ukraine. President Putin had spoken to US President Biden over a video link last week as the US president threatened to impose large scale sanctions against Russia if it attacked Ukraine. Watch: Russia threatens to deploy nuclear missiles in Europe Meanwhile, Ukraine accused Germany of preventing the shipment of anti-drone rifles and anti-sniper systems from NATO. President Volodymyr Zelensky's government has repeatedly asserted that Putin's regime is set to invade the country, a claim denied by Kremlin which says it is free to move its troops anywhere within its territory. Also Read: Ukraine invasion would be a costly mistake, Boris Johnson warns Putin Amid heightened tensions, Ukraine's parliament approved a draft law to allow foreign troops to take part in military exercises in the country. Ukraine is planning to hold large military exercises next year. (With inputs from Agencies)

Russia tracks French warship in Black Sea amid Ukraine tensions

Berlin has warned Russia that any increase in tensions in Ukraine can have a direct impact on the much-awaited Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline plan.<o:p></o:p>

Germany's new Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, on Saturday, said that that Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will not be allowed to operate at all if there is any kind of new escalation in Ukraine. "In the event of further escalation this gas pipeline could not come into service," Baerbock told German television station ZDF.

<o:p>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-threatens-russia-with-severe-sanctions-if-ukraine-is-attacked-435291">Biden threatens Russia with 'severe sanctions' if Ukraine is attacked; US troops not to be involved</a></o:p>

Her warning came a little after the new Chancellor Olaf Scholz had also lent support to Ukraine in this situation. "It would be a serious mistake to believe that violating the borders of a European country would remain without consequences," he had warned.<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;"We will also help Ukraine be a country that will be a major source of renewable energy and the necessary production that results from that. We are in concrete talks around how we can help achieve that," Scholz said.<o:p></o:p>

Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, has also urged Germany to suspend the pipeline project. Morawiecki believes that Russia can use this project to later ‘blackmail’ Europe. "It would be better not to allow the opening of&nbsp;Nord&nbsp;Stream 2," Morawiecki said. "I drew the chancellor's attention to the risks linked to the opening of the&nbsp;Nord&nbsp;Stream 2 gas pipeline and sadly the extent to which... these risks for Ukraine could get considerably worse."<o:p></o:p>

The Nord pipeline 2 has backing of Russian President Vladimir Putin and was initially supported by Germany’s previous Chancellor Angela Merkel in the past few years. <o:p></o:p>

Recently, several other western countries warned Germany for being ‘too dependent’ upon Russia. However, Berlin has made sure the country makes it clear that Germany will “do anything” to make sure that Ukraine is not bullied out of being a transit country for Russian gas exports in Europe.<o:p></o:p>

Berlin has warned Russia that any increase in tensions in Ukraine can have a direct impact on the much-awaited Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline plan. Germany's new Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, on Saturday, said that that Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will not be allowed to operate at all if there is any kind of new escalation in Ukraine.

Berlin has warned Russia that any increase in tensions in Ukraine can have a direct impact on the much-awaited Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline plan. Germany's new Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, on Saturday, said that that Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will not be allowed to operate at all if there is any kind of new escalation in Ukraine. "In the event of further escalation this gas pipeline could not come into service," Baerbock told German television station ZDF. Also read | Biden threatens Russia with 'severe sanctions' if Ukraine is attacked; US troops not to be involved Her warning came a little after the new Chancellor Olaf Scholz had also lent support to Ukraine in this situation. "It would be a serious mistake to believe that violating the borders of a European country would remain without consequences," he had warned. "We will also help Ukraine be a country that will be a major source of renewable energy and the necessary production that results from that. We are in concrete talks around how we can help achieve that," Scholz said. Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, has also urged Germany to suspend the pipeline project. Morawiecki believes that Russia can use this project to later ‘blackmail’ Europe. "It would be better not to allow the opening of Nord Stream 2," Morawiecki said. "I drew the chancellor's attention to the risks linked to the opening of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and sadly the extent to which... these risks for Ukraine could get considerably worse." The Nord pipeline 2 has backing of Russian President Vladimir Putin and was initially supported by Germany’s previous Chancellor Angela Merkel in the past few years. Recently, several other western countries warned Germany for being ‘too dependent’ upon Russia. However, Berlin has made sure the country makes it clear that Germany will “do anything” to make sure that Ukraine is not bullied out of being a transit country for Russian gas exports in Europe.

Nord Stream pipeline to be suspended if Russia escalates in Ukraine, Germany warns

After the UK accused the Kremlin of seeking to install a pro-Russian leader in Ukraine, a senior British minister said on Sunday that Russia would face severe economic sanctions if it installs a puppet regime in Ukraine.

"There'll be very serious consequences if Russia takes this move to try and invade, but also install a puppet regime," British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told Sky News.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-looks-to-replace-ukraine-govt-with-pro-moscow-administration-claims-uk-446814">Russia looks to replace Ukraine govt with pro-Moscow administration, claims&nbsp;UK</a>

On Saturday, the United Kingdom made the accusation, saying Russian intelligence officers were in contact with a number of former Ukrainian politicians as part of an invasion plan.

In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed the British claim as "disinformation," accusing NATO of "escalating tensions" over Ukraine.&nbsp;

The British claims come after top American and Russian diplomats failed to reach an agreement on Friday on resolving the Ukraine crisis, which was sparked when Russia began massing troops near its border with the country.

Moscow has insisted that it has no plans to invade, and it and its American counterparts have agreed to keep talking. However, tensions remain high.

Due to the threat of Russian military action, the State Department of the US has also ordered eligible family members to leave the Embassy in Kyiv.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/threat-of-war-forces-us-to-order-departure-of-ukrainian-embassy-staffs-kin-447011">Threat of war forces US to order departure of Ukrainian embassy staff’s kin</a>

Senior administration officials said Saturday that US President Joe Biden has begun considering options for increasing America's military assets in the region after meeting with top national security advisers at his Camp David retreat.

New York Times reports Biden is considering sending 1,000 to 5,000 troops to Eastern European countries, with the possibility of increasing this number should tensions increase.

While the world is closely watching Moscow's next move, the British foreign ministry claims that it has information Russia is considering former Ukrainian lawmaker Yevhen Murayev as a possible contender to head a pro-Russian government.

Watch |&nbsp;UK accuses Russia for allegedly trying to install pro-Russian leader in Kyiv

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-accuses-russia-for-allegedly-trying-to-install-pro-russian-leader-in-kyiv-446971/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, in comments to British newspapers,&nbsp;Murayev dismissed the theory that Russia wants him to become Ukraine's leader.

"This morning I already read in all the news publications this conspiracy theory: absolutely unproven, absolutely unfounded," Murayev told Reuters over a video call, adding that he was considering taking legal action.

Under Russian sanctions since&nbsp;2018, he dismissed the idea that he was working with the Kremlin as "stupid" and denied that he had any contacts with Russian intelligence.

The British foreign ministry refused to provide any evidence to support its allegations.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

After the UK accused the Kremlin of seeking to install a pro-Russian leader in Ukraine, a senior British minister said on Sunday that Russia would face severe economic sanctions if it installs a puppet regime in Ukraine.

After the UK accused the Kremlin of seeking to install a pro-Russian leader in Ukraine, a senior British minister said on Sunday that Russia would face severe economic sanctions if it installs a puppet regime in Ukraine. "There'll be very serious consequences if Russia takes this move to try and invade, but also install a puppet regime," British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told Sky News. Also read | Russia looks to replace Ukraine govt with pro-Moscow administration, claims UK On Saturday, the United Kingdom made the accusation, saying Russian intelligence officers were in contact with a number of former Ukrainian politicians as part of an invasion plan. In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed the British claim as "disinformation," accusing NATO of "escalating tensions" over Ukraine. The British claims come after top American and Russian diplomats failed to reach an agreement on Friday on resolving the Ukraine crisis, which was sparked when Russia began massing troops near its border with the country. Moscow has insisted that it has no plans to invade, and it and its American counterparts have agreed to keep talking. However, tensions remain high. Due to the threat of Russian military action, the State Department of the US has also ordered eligible family members to leave the Embassy in Kyiv. Also read | Threat of war forces US to order departure of Ukrainian embassy staff’s kin Senior administration officials said Saturday that US President Joe Biden has begun considering options for increasing America's military assets in the region after meeting with top national security advisers at his Camp David retreat. New York Times reports Biden is considering sending 1,000 to 5,000 troops to Eastern European countries, with the possibility of increasing this number should tensions increase. While the world is closely watching Moscow's next move, the British foreign ministry claims that it has information Russia is considering former Ukrainian lawmaker Yevhen Murayev as a possible contender to head a pro-Russian government. Watch | UK accuses Russia for allegedly trying to install pro-Russian leader in Kyiv However, in comments to British newspapers, Murayev dismissed the theory that Russia wants him to become Ukraine's leader. "This morning I already read in all the news publications this conspiracy theory: absolutely unproven, absolutely unfounded," Murayev told Reuters over a video call, adding that he was considering taking legal action. Under Russian sanctions since 2018, he dismissed the idea that he was working with the Kremlin as "stupid" and denied that he had any contacts with Russian intelligence. The British foreign ministry refused to provide any evidence to support its allegations. (With inputs from agencies)

UK warns Russia of 'very serious consequences' if it installs 'puppet regime' in Ukraine

As the United States issued warnings last month about the Russian troops on Ukraine’s borders and President Joe Biden threatened President Vladimir Putin with sanctions if he launched an invasion, researchers noticed an uptick in social media posts accusing Ukraine of plotting a genocide against ethnic Russians.

In one example, an arm of the Moscow-controlled broadcaster RT circulated a clip of Putin saying that events in eastern Ukraine “resemble genocide.” News Front, which the State Department has called a disinformation outlet with ties to Russian security services, followed with an article Dec. 13 that said the United States did not consider the massacres to be a genocide.

In the months since the Russian troop buildup began, Moscow and its online army of allies have pushed out old arguments about western Ukrainians being aligned with Nazism, falsely accused the United States of using proxy forces to plot a chemical attack and claimed that Russia’s planned military operations were intended to protect ethnic Russians or preempt action by NATO, according to researchers.

U.S. intelligence officials said Russia had produced a steady stream of disinformation about Ukraine since 2014. But they observed an uptick in December and January as Moscow increased pressure on the government in Kyiv.

Technology firm Logically, a British-based company that helps governments and businesses counter disinformation, has been tracking Russian-aligned social media accounts, such as those of RT and Sputnik, along with Twitter accounts of Russian officials.

Posts and articles accusing some Ukrainians of being neo-Nazis have dramatically increased since early November, according to Logically. The Moscow-backed information campaign accusing the United States of planning a chemical attack spiked Dec. 21, the firm said.

Much of the propaganda is aimed at a domestic audience in Russia and at pro-Moscow Ukrainians, said Brian Murphy, the vice president for strategic operations at Logically. If Russia does invade Ukraine, he said, it wants to make sure it has the support of Russian speakers in the country as its tanks and artillery roll across fields or knock down houses.

“There are very few fence-sitters left in Ukraine,” Murphy said. “They are trying to strengthen support in the separatist-occupied regions of Ukraine and within Russia.”

But the propaganda can easily move beyond a Russian-speaking audience.

Intelligence officials have said that while Russia is unlikely to change many minds in Europe, its messaging has had more traction in South America and Africa, muddying the waters about which country is responsible for the Ukraine crisis.

Much like its efforts to divide the American electorate in 2016 by stoking debates about racism, guns and other divisive issues, Russia is trying to increase polarization in Ukraine to give it a tactical advantage, Murphy said.

The State Department said in a fact sheet issued last week that much of the disinformation repeated old themes, such as portraying Russia as a victim of U.S. actions, depicting Western societies as on the verge of collapse because they have moved away from traditional values, and describing Washington as the supporter of revolutions in the region.

Researchers have tracked similar themes coming from Russian accounts, including a rise in posts claiming that NATO and Ukrainian forces are preparing to attack Russian speakers in Ukraine. Allegations of a NATO intervention in Ukraine first hit a peak in late December before spiking higher in mid-January, according to Logically.

Murphy, the former head of the Department of Homeland Security’s intelligence branch, said that claiming NATO interference in Ukraine has long been a standard line of attack by Moscow.

While it is often difficult to track where a particular piece of disinformation originates, researchers can see when many Russian accounts begin pushing the same narrative.

“It looks like a coordinated campaign,” Murphy said. “They come out, around the same time, with similar messaging.”

The claim that the United States was preparing a chemical attack was originally made by the Russian defence minister. But disinformation experts tracked how various accounts amplified it.

Versions of the statement were recirculated by both state-owned media and websites that the U.S. government has said are used by Russian intelligence services, such as News Front and the Strategic Culture Foundation, said Bret Schafer, the head of the information manipulation team at the Alliance for Securing Democracy, which tracks disinformation and other efforts aimed at undercutting democratic governments. The timing of the posts was curious, he said.

A few weeks after the posts appeared in December, U.S. officials said that a false flag operation conducted by Russia could be used as an excuse to move troops into Ukraine in the name of protecting the Russian-speaking population.

“One could conceivably view Russian messaging last month as an attempt to muddy the water before their own impending operation,” Schafer said. “Or, in classic propaganda terms, to accuse others of that which you are guilty.”

Larissa Doroshenko, a researcher at Northeastern University, said that Russian disinformation tactics in Ukraine used both falsified stories and those that were true but tangential to current events in order to distort narratives or hide true intentions.

Doroshenko studied Russian disinformation around the 2014 pro-democracy protests in Ukraine and found that even then, Moscow used various means to push narratives.

“We focus on the social media, but it is a multiplatform approach,” she said. “It is social media, but it is also these so-called news websites, these propaganda websites, that present themselves to appeal to regular people.”

Putin took Crimea stealthily, Doroshenko said. But the troop buildup near Ukraine has been anything but hidden.

She said the Russian troop deployments and threats against Ukraine may be as much about stoking nationalistic feelings as they are about muting domestic criticism of Putin’s moves to shut down nonprofit groups like Memorial International, a human rights organization, or groups affiliated with Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader.

“If you can create an external enemy,” she said, “all these issues of what are happening with civic society in Russia are not as important anymore.”

As the United States issued warnings last month about the Russian troops on Ukraine’s borders and President Joe Biden threatened President Vladimir Putin with sanctions if he launched an invasion, researchers noticed an uptick in social media posts accusing Ukraine of plotting a genocide against ethnic Russians.

As the United States issued warnings last month about the Russian troops on Ukraine’s borders and President Joe Biden threatened President Vladimir Putin with sanctions if he launched an invasion, researchers noticed an uptick in social media posts accusing Ukraine of plotting a genocide against ethnic Russians. In one example, an arm of the Moscow-controlled broadcaster RT circulated a clip of Putin saying that events in eastern Ukraine “resemble genocide.” News Front, which the State Department has called a disinformation outlet with ties to Russian security services, followed with an article Dec. 13 that said the United States did not consider the massacres to be a genocide. In the months since the Russian troop buildup began, Moscow and its online army of allies have pushed out old arguments about western Ukrainians being aligned with Nazism, falsely accused the United States of using proxy forces to plot a chemical attack and claimed that Russia’s planned military operations were intended to protect ethnic Russians or preempt action by NATO, according to researchers. U.S. intelligence officials said Russia had produced a steady stream of disinformation about Ukraine since 2014. But they observed an uptick in December and January as Moscow increased pressure on the government in Kyiv. Technology firm Logically, a British-based company that helps governments and businesses counter disinformation, has been tracking Russian-aligned social media accounts, such as those of RT and Sputnik, along with Twitter accounts of Russian officials. Posts and articles accusing some Ukrainians of being neo-Nazis have dramatically increased since early November, according to Logically. The Moscow-backed information campaign accusing the United States of planning a chemical attack spiked Dec. 21, the firm said. Much of the propaganda is aimed at a domestic audience in Russia and at pro-Moscow Ukrainians, said Brian Murphy, the vice president for strategic operations at Logically. If Russia does invade Ukraine, he said, it wants to make sure it has the support of Russian speakers in the country as its tanks and artillery roll across fields or knock down houses. “There are very few fence-sitters left in Ukraine,” Murphy said. “They are trying to strengthen support in the separatist-occupied regions of Ukraine and within Russia.” But the propaganda can easily move beyond a Russian-speaking audience. Intelligence officials have said that while Russia is unlikely to change many minds in Europe, its messaging has had more traction in South America and Africa, muddying the waters about which country is responsible for the Ukraine crisis. Much like its efforts to divide the American electorate in 2016 by stoking debates about racism, guns and other divisive issues, Russia is trying to increase polarization in Ukraine to give it a tactical advantage, Murphy said. The State Department said in a fact sheet issued last week that much of the disinformation repeated old themes, such as portraying Russia as a victim of U.S. actions, depicting Western societies as on the verge of collapse because they have moved away from traditional values, and describing Washington as the supporter of revolutions in the region. Researchers have tracked similar themes coming from Russian accounts, including a rise in posts claiming that NATO and Ukrainian forces are preparing to attack Russian speakers in Ukraine. Allegations of a NATO intervention in Ukraine first hit a peak in late December before spiking higher in mid-January, according to Logically. Murphy, the former head of the Department of Homeland Security’s intelligence branch, said that claiming NATO interference in Ukraine has long been a standard line of attack by Moscow. While it is often difficult to track where a particular piece of disinformation originates, researchers can see when many Russian accounts begin pushing the same narrative. “It looks like a coordinated campaign,” Murphy said. “They come out, around the same time, with similar messaging.” The claim that the United States was preparing a chemical attack was originally made by the Russian defence minister. But disinformation experts tracked how various accounts amplified it. Versions of the statement were recirculated by both state-owned media and websites that the U.S. government has said are used by Russian intelligence services, such as News Front and the Strategic Culture Foundation, said Bret Schafer, the head of the information manipulation team at the Alliance for Securing Democracy, which tracks disinformation and other efforts aimed at undercutting democratic governments. The timing of the posts was curious, he said. A few weeks after the posts appeared in December, U.S. officials said that a false flag operation conducted by Russia could be used as an excuse to move troops into Ukraine in the name of protecting the Russian-speaking population. “One could conceivably view Russian messaging last month as an attempt to muddy the water before their own impending operation,” Schafer said. “Or, in classic propaganda terms, to accuse others of that which you are guilty.” Larissa Doroshenko, a researcher at Northeastern University, said that Russian disinformation tactics in Ukraine used both falsified stories and those that were true but tangential to current events in order to distort narratives or hide true intentions. Doroshenko studied Russian disinformation around the 2014 pro-democracy protests in Ukraine and found that even then, Moscow used various means to push narratives. “We focus on the social media, but it is a multiplatform approach,” she said. “It is social media, but it is also these so-called news websites, these propaganda websites, that present themselves to appeal to regular people.” Putin took Crimea stealthily, Doroshenko said. But the troop buildup near Ukraine has been anything but hidden. She said the Russian troop deployments and threats against Ukraine may be as much about stoking nationalistic feelings as they are about muting domestic criticism of Putin’s moves to shut down nonprofit groups like Memorial International, a human rights organization, or groups affiliated with Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader. “If you can create an external enemy,” she said, “all these issues of what are happening with civic society in Russia are not as important anymore.”

Russia steps up propaganda war amid tensions with Ukraine

The United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday (January 25) said that he will think about imposing personal sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin if he invades Ukraine.&nbsp;

Amid heightened tensions at the Russia-Ukraine border, the Western countries fear that Putin is plotting to invade the&nbsp;country it invaded in 2014.

The crisis got escalated drastically after Russia amassed tens of thousands of troops on its borders with Ukraine. However, Russia denies it is planning an attack.&nbsp;

Russia has said it could take unspecified military action if a list of demands is not met, including a promise from NATO never to admit Ukraine as a member.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-the-west-can-use-economic-sanctions-to-target-russia-over-ukraine-conflict-447444">How the West can use economic sanctions to target Russia over Ukraine conflict</a>

In the aftermath, the West tried to de-escalate the situation and now has stepped up military preparations and made plans to shield Europe from a potential energy supply shock.&nbsp;

Now, Biden has come up with the rare sanctions threat as NATO places forces on standby and reinforces eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets in response to Russia's troop build-up near its border with Ukraine.&nbsp;

While addressing a presser, Biden was asked if he would see himself imposing sanctions on Putin directly. "Yes," he responded. "I would see that."

Direct US sanctions on foreign leaders are rare but not unprecedented. Others who have faced sanctions include Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, Syria's Bashar al-Assad and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi.

Russian state TV plays down

On one side, NATO forces have&nbsp;gathered against a potential invasion - creating a war-like situation.&nbsp;On the other hand, Russian state TV has played down the entire crisis.&nbsp;

Russian state TV - vital for the Kremlin's public messaging over 11 time zones - has often focused in recent days on other issues such as Russian athletes' hopes for the Beijing Winter Olympics or rising Omicron cases.

"At the moment, there's no sense the enemy is at the door and that we're starting a war soon... That's not happening at all," said one Russian media analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

As mentioned by Reuters, Russian state media say Western "panic" is fuelling the tensions, along with the US troop reinforcements to the region and arms supplies to Kyiv while reporting the crisis.&nbsp;

They do not mention the presence of around 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine's border. "They've invented it (the Russian threat)... The Americans have been scaring themselves about a Russian invasion for months," a reporter for the Vesti news programme told viewers.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-will-america-go-to-war-for-ukraine-447579/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

The United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday (January 25) said that he will think about imposing personal sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin if he invades Ukraine.

The United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday (January 25) said that he will think about imposing personal sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin if he invades Ukraine. Amid heightened tensions at the Russia-Ukraine border, the Western countries fear that Putin is plotting to invade the country it invaded in 2014. The crisis got escalated drastically after Russia amassed tens of thousands of troops on its borders with Ukraine. However, Russia denies it is planning an attack. Russia has said it could take unspecified military action if a list of demands is not met, including a promise from NATO never to admit Ukraine as a member. IN PICS | How the West can use economic sanctions to target Russia over Ukraine conflict In the aftermath, the West tried to de-escalate the situation and now has stepped up military preparations and made plans to shield Europe from a potential energy supply shock. Now, Biden has come up with the rare sanctions threat as NATO places forces on standby and reinforces eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets in response to Russia's troop build-up near its border with Ukraine. While addressing a presser, Biden was asked if he would see himself imposing sanctions on Putin directly. "Yes," he responded. "I would see that." Direct US sanctions on foreign leaders are rare but not unprecedented. Others who have faced sanctions include Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, Syria's Bashar al-Assad and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi. Russian state TV plays down On one side, NATO forces have gathered against a potential invasion - creating a war-like situation. On the other hand, Russian state TV has played down the entire crisis. Russian state TV - vital for the Kremlin's public messaging over 11 time zones - has often focused in recent days on other issues such as Russian athletes' hopes for the Beijing Winter Olympics or rising Omicron cases. "At the moment, there's no sense the enemy is at the door and that we're starting a war soon... That's not happening at all," said one Russian media analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity. As mentioned by Reuters, Russian state media say Western "panic" is fuelling the tensions, along with the US troop reinforcements to the region and arms supplies to Kyiv while reporting the crisis. They do not mention the presence of around 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine's border. "They've invented it (the Russian threat)... The Americans have been scaring themselves about a Russian invasion for months," a reporter for the Vesti news programme told viewers. ×

Ukraine crisis: Joe Biden's rare sanction threat to Vladimir Putin; Russian media's narrative is different

Russia on Sunday rejected the claim made by the UK government saying it did not provide corroboration to back it up.&nbsp;

Britain's Foreign Secretary Liz Truss had said Russia is looking to replace the government of Ukraine with a pro-Moscow administration. &nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukraines-border-cities-remain-vigilant-amid-invasion-fears-from-russia-446839/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, “The disinformation spread by the British Foreign Office is more evidence that it is the NATO countries, led by the Anglo-Saxons, who are escalating tensions around Ukraine.”&nbsp;

“We call on the British Foreign Office to stop provocative activities, stop spreading nonsense.”

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/slew-of-disputes-between-former-cold-war-adversaries-us-and-russia-443661">Slew of disputes between former Cold War adversaries US and Russia</a>

The accusations come at the end of a week of intense international diplomacy, which concluded with Antony Blinken and Sergei Lavrov, Washington and Moscow's top diplomats, agreeing to keep working to ease tensions.

Truss urged Russia to “deescalate, end its campaigns of aggression and disinformation, and pursue a path of diplomacy,” and reiterated Britain’s view that “any Russian military incursion into Ukraine would be a massive strategic mistake with severe costs.”

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/rebel-held-regions-of-eastern-ukraine-are-growing-closer-to-russia-437500">Rebel-held regions of eastern Ukraine are growing closer to Russia</a>

Amid diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis, UK&nbsp;Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is expected to meet Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu for talks in Moscow.&nbsp;

Tensions have soared in recent weeks as tens of thousands of Russian troops mass on Ukraine's border, along with an arsenal of tanks, fighting vehicles, artillery and missiles.

Russia has put pressure on Ukraine since the 2014 uprising, Moscow seized the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and a few weeks later a pro-Russian insurgency broke out in eastern Ukraine that has since claimed more than 13,000 lives.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia on Sunday rejected the claim made by the UK government saying it did not provide corroboration to back it up. Britain's Foreign Secretary Liz Truss had said Russia is looking to replace the government of Ukraine with a pro-Moscow administration.

Russia on Sunday rejected the claim made by the UK government saying it did not provide corroboration to back it up. Britain's Foreign Secretary Liz Truss had said Russia is looking to replace the government of Ukraine with a pro-Moscow administration. According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, “The disinformation spread by the British Foreign Office is more evidence that it is the NATO countries, led by the Anglo-Saxons, who are escalating tensions around Ukraine.” “We call on the British Foreign Office to stop provocative activities, stop spreading nonsense.” Also see | Slew of disputes between former Cold War adversaries US and Russia The accusations come at the end of a week of intense international diplomacy, which concluded with Antony Blinken and Sergei Lavrov, Washington and Moscow's top diplomats, agreeing to keep working to ease tensions. Truss urged Russia to “deescalate, end its campaigns of aggression and disinformation, and pursue a path of diplomacy,” and reiterated Britain’s view that “any Russian military incursion into Ukraine would be a massive strategic mistake with severe costs.” Also see | Rebel-held regions of eastern Ukraine are growing closer to Russia Amid diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is expected to meet Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu for talks in Moscow. Tensions have soared in recent weeks as tens of thousands of Russian troops mass on Ukraine's border, along with an arsenal of tanks, fighting vehicles, artillery and missiles. Russia has put pressure on Ukraine since the 2014 uprising, Moscow seized the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and a few weeks later a pro-Russian insurgency broke out in eastern Ukraine that has since claimed more than 13,000 lives. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia calls UK's claim as 'evidence' that NATO escalating tensions around Ukraine

A squad of roughly 30 elite British troops has arrived in Ukraine to assist in the training of the Ukrainian armed forces on new anti-tank weapons supplied by the UK amid worries of a new Russian invasion.

Members of the Ranger Regiment, which is part of the army's newly formed Special Operations Brigade, were flown out aboard military jets that also delivered 2,000 anti-tank missile launchers to the country this week, Sky News reported.

British surveillance aircraft have also been sighted as part of the UK's subtle but noticeable build-up of military support for Ukraine.

The Royal Air Force C-17 transport planes travelling back and forth between the UK and Ukraine have been plotted using open source flight-tracking software.&nbsp; 
 
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-china-block-us-bid-to-impose-un-sanctions-on-north-koreans-446312">Russia, China block US bid to impose UN sanctions on North Koreans</a>

According to Sky News, "many" flights have taken place since Monday.

The UK has delivered 2,000 anti-tank missile launchers in the airlift, according to the Daily Mail.

This statistic is believed to be correct.

On Monday, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told Parliament that the UK had decided to supply Ukraine with a batch of light-armour defensive weapons systems, and that a "small number" of UK staff will travel to the country to provide initial training. 
 
Watch | Gravitas: Ukraine on target of Russian Nukes?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ukraine-on-target-of-russian-nukes-446038/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The next day, the UK minister for armed forces, James Heappey, said that "thousands" of such weapons had been airlifted to Ukraine.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the transfer of weapons and instructors to Ukraine by the UK and Canada confirms Russia's suspicions that the West has been preparing a provocation on the Ukrainian territory. 
 
IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/arrow-3-iron-dome-whats-next-in-israels-missile-interception-strategy-446193">Arrow 3, Iron Dome: What's next in Israel's missile interception strategy?</a>

Western countries have recently accused Russia of preparing for invasion by building up its troops along its border with Ukraine.

Moscow, on the other hand, has rejected the charges and stated that it has no plans to undertake a military action against any country.

The claims are also seen by Russia as a justification for NATO military assets to be stationed near its borders.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A squad of roughly 30 elite British troops has arrived in Ukraine to assist in the training of the Ukrainian armed forces on new anti-tank weapons supplied by the UK amid worries of a new Russian invasion.

A squad of roughly 30 elite British troops has arrived in Ukraine to assist in the training of the Ukrainian armed forces on new anti-tank weapons supplied by the UK amid worries of a new Russian invasion. Members of the Ranger Regiment, which is part of the army's newly formed Special Operations Brigade, were flown out aboard military jets that also delivered 2,000 anti-tank missile launchers to the country this week, Sky News reported. British surveillance aircraft have also been sighted as part of the UK's subtle but noticeable build-up of military support for Ukraine. The Royal Air Force C-17 transport planes travelling back and forth between the UK and Ukraine have been plotted using open source flight-tracking software. ALSO READ | Russia, China block US bid to impose UN sanctions on North Koreans According to Sky News, "many" flights have taken place since Monday. The UK has delivered 2,000 anti-tank missile launchers in the airlift, according to the Daily Mail. This statistic is believed to be correct. On Monday, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told Parliament that the UK had decided to supply Ukraine with a batch of light-armour defensive weapons systems, and that a "small number" of UK staff will travel to the country to provide initial training. Watch | Gravitas: Ukraine on target of Russian Nukes? The next day, the UK minister for armed forces, James Heappey, said that "thousands" of such weapons had been airlifted to Ukraine. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the transfer of weapons and instructors to Ukraine by the UK and Canada confirms Russia's suspicions that the West has been preparing a provocation on the Ukrainian territory. IN PICS | Arrow 3, Iron Dome: What's next in Israel's missile interception strategy? Western countries have recently accused Russia of preparing for invasion by building up its troops along its border with Ukraine. Moscow, on the other hand, has rejected the charges and stated that it has no plans to undertake a military action against any country. The claims are also seen by Russia as a justification for NATO military assets to be stationed near its borders. (With inputs from agencies)

UK sends 2,000 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine amid fears of Russian invasion

As Western countries fear Russian incursion in Ukraine, the United States President Joe Biden has clarified his comments that he delivered in this context as he suggested that the allies were split over how to react to any potential "minor incursion" from Russia.&nbsp;

During a news conference on Wednesday, it looked like Biden is suggesting that the US and other allies might disagree over the response if Moscow stopped short of a major invasion and he also said he expected Putin to launch some kind of action.&nbsp;

The presser was meant to mark Biden's administration one year in office, when he said, "It's one thing if it's a minor incursion and we end up having to fight about what to do and what to not do, et cetera." Biden also added that an invasion would be a "disaster" for Russia.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-china-block-us-bid-to-impose-un-sanctions-on-north-koreans-446312">Russia, China block US bid to impose UN sanctions on North Koreans</a>

The comments invited backlash by allies as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy responded sharply to that on Thursday, tweeting in English and Ukrainian: "We want to remind the great powers that there are no minor incursions and small nations. Just as there are no minor casualties and little grief from the loss of loved ones."&nbsp;

Also,&nbsp;NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg weighed in on the situation, especially on Biden's comment as he said that the "minor incursion" comment was not a green light to a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;

The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "Be in no doubt that if Russia were to make any kind of incursion into Ukraine, or on any scale, whatever, I think that that would be a disaster, not just for Ukraine, but for Russia."

Biden clarification&nbsp;and damage control

Biden's comments appeared to some as giving Russia the green light to attack - a remark that could escalate the already heightened border issues between Russia and Ukraine.&nbsp;

Biden sought to clarify his comments as on Thursday (January 20), he said that "I have been absolutely clear with President (Vladimir) Putin, he has no misunderstanding. If any, any assembled Russian units move across the Ukrainian border that is an invasion".

Biden further added that such an invasion would be met by a "severe and coordinated response, economic response as discussed in details with our allies, as laid out very clearly with President Putin."&nbsp;

A Western security source said as quoted by Reuters that "it was not helpful, in fact it was a gift to Putin, but we should not read too much into it.&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;has not given Moscow the green light for an attack on Ukraine. It was a slip of his tongue, and the official Western position will prevail."

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/arrow-3-iron-dome-whats-next-in-israels-missile-interception-strategy-446193">Arrow 3, Iron Dome: What's next in Israel's missile interception strategy?</a>

Meanwhile, the US tried to control the damage as&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken also commented during his address at a press conference&nbsp;during a visit to Berlin to meet ministers from Britain, France and Germany.&nbsp;

He said, "No matter which path Russia chooses, it will find the United States, Germany, and our allies, united."&nbsp;

Ukraine-Russia border tensions

Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops on its borders with Ukraine, and Western states fear Moscow is planning a new assault on a country it invaded in 2014.

Russia denies it is planning an attack but says it could take unspecified military action if a list of demands is not met, including a promise from NATO never to admit Ukraine as a member.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-one-year-of-biden-no-better-than-trump-446303/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

As Western countries fear Russian incursion in Ukraine, the United States President Joe Biden has clarified his comments that he delivered in this context as he suggested that the allies were split over how to react to any potential "minor incursion" from Russia.

As Western countries fear Russian incursion in Ukraine, the United States President Joe Biden has clarified his comments that he delivered in this context as he suggested that the allies were split over how to react to any potential "minor incursion" from Russia. During a news conference on Wednesday, it looked like Biden is suggesting that the US and other allies might disagree over the response if Moscow stopped short of a major invasion and he also said he expected Putin to launch some kind of action. The presser was meant to mark Biden's administration one year in office, when he said, "It's one thing if it's a minor incursion and we end up having to fight about what to do and what to not do, et cetera." Biden also added that an invasion would be a "disaster" for Russia. ALSO READ | Russia, China block US bid to impose UN sanctions on North Koreans The comments invited backlash by allies as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy responded sharply to that on Thursday, tweeting in English and Ukrainian: "We want to remind the great powers that there are no minor incursions and small nations. Just as there are no minor casualties and little grief from the loss of loved ones." Also, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg weighed in on the situation, especially on Biden's comment as he said that the "minor incursion" comment was not a green light to a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine. The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "Be in no doubt that if Russia were to make any kind of incursion into Ukraine, or on any scale, whatever, I think that that would be a disaster, not just for Ukraine, but for Russia." Biden clarification and damage control Biden's comments appeared to some as giving Russia the green light to attack - a remark that could escalate the already heightened border issues between Russia and Ukraine. Biden sought to clarify his comments as on Thursday (January 20), he said that "I have been absolutely clear with President (Vladimir) Putin, he has no misunderstanding. If any, any assembled Russian units move across the Ukrainian border that is an invasion". Biden further added that such an invasion would be met by a "severe and coordinated response, economic response as discussed in details with our allies, as laid out very clearly with President Putin." A Western security source said as quoted by Reuters that "it was not helpful, in fact it was a gift to Putin, but we should not read too much into it. Biden has not given Moscow the green light for an attack on Ukraine. It was a slip of his tongue, and the official Western position will prevail." IN PICS | Arrow 3, Iron Dome: What's next in Israel's missile interception strategy? Meanwhile, the US tried to control the damage as Secretary of State Antony Blinken also commented during his address at a press conference during a visit to Berlin to meet ministers from Britain, France and Germany. He said, "No matter which path Russia chooses, it will find the United States, Germany, and our allies, united." Ukraine-Russia border tensions Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops on its borders with Ukraine, and Western states fear Moscow is planning a new assault on a country it invaded in 2014. Russia denies it is planning an attack but says it could take unspecified military action if a list of demands is not met, including a promise from NATO never to admit Ukraine as a member. × (With inputs from agencies)

Joe Biden clarifies over Russia remark; Ukraine says there are no 'minor incursions' and small nations

The week before intensive diplomatic meetings began over the buildup of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border, U.S. and Ukrainian officials watched from afar as Russia began emptying out its embassy in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital.

On January&nbsp;5, 18 people -&nbsp;mostly the children and wives of Russian diplomats -&nbsp;boarded buses and embarked on a 15-hour drive home to Moscow, according to a senior Ukrainian security official.

About 30 more followed in the next few days, from Kyiv and a consulate in Lviv, in western Ukraine. Diplomats at two other Russian consulates have been told to prepare to leave Ukraine, the security official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss national security matters.

How to interpret the evacuation has become part of the mystery of divining the next play by President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Thinning out the Russian Embassy may be part propaganda, part preparation for a looming conflict or part feint, Ukrainian and U.S. officials say. It could be all three.

In recent days, the slow departures — which the Russians most likely knew that the Americans and the Ukrainians would see — have become part of the puzzle of what happens next.

They are a more ominous data point, in addition to cyberattacks on Ukrainian ministries last week, and reports from Microsoft and the US&nbsp;government that far more destructive malware has been planted in Ukrainian networks but not activated.

Enormous train convoys loaded with tanks, missiles and troops continue to push west through Russia, apparently heading for the Ukrainian border. Alexander Lukashenko, the authoritarian leader of Belarus, announced Monday that Russian forces and equipment had begun arriving in his country for a joint military exercise that would be held in two places: on Belarus’ western edge, near Poland and Lithuania, two NATO countries; and along the Ukrainian border, which could prove another pathway for invasion.

The exercise has been given a very American-sounding name: Allied Resolve. But in Kyiv, Ukrainian officials fully expect any Russian troops deployed to Belarus for the exercises to remain in place indefinitely, leaving Ukraine open to attack from the north, the east and the south.

“We’ll be fully surrounded by equal forces,” the senior Ukrainian security official said.

In Washington, US&nbsp;officials say they still assess that Putin has not yet made a decision to invade. They describe him as more a tactician than a grand strategist, and they believe that he is constantly weighing a host of different factors.

Among them is how well he could weather the threatened sanctions on his banks and industry, and whether his demands that Ukraine stop veering toward NATO -&nbsp;and that NATO stop spreading toward Russia -&nbsp;are receiving enough attention.

But the U.S. officials say Putin may also have concluded that with the United States and other countries arming Ukraine, his military advantage is at risk of slipping away. Britain’s defence secretary, Ben Wallace, announced in an address to Parliament on Monday that the country would begin providing Ukraine with light, anti-armour defensive weapons. Putin may become tempted to act sooner rather than later.

US&nbsp;officials saw Russia’s embassy evacuations coming. “We have information that indicates the Russian government was preparing to evacuate their family members from the Russian Embassy in Ukraine in late December and early January,” a US&nbsp;official said in a statement.

Ukrainian officials say they saw the Russians leave.

But that leaves open the question of what, if anything, the Russians were signalling.

It is possible they were trying to bolster the case that the U.S. and its Western allies should take seriously their demands that Ukraine can never join NATO, and that troops, nuclear weapons and other heavy weaponry must be removed from former Warsaw Pact states, like Poland, that were once allied with the Soviet Union.

It could also be that the Russians were trying to indicate that an attack was brewing, though there were no other signals. In fact, the buildup of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border is not increasing at a rate that Pentagon officials expected a month ago.

The latest US&nbsp;estimates are that about 60 battalion tactical groups, known as BTGs and each with an average of 800 soldiers, are now in place at the border with Ukraine. Combined with other local forces, the Russians have about 77,000 troops at the border, with more on the way. Others put the figure at closer to 100,000 — much depends on how different forces are counted — but that is well short of the Pentagon’s estimate more than a month ago that the total number could rise to 175,000.

US&nbsp;and European intelligence and military officials say Putin may be waiting for the ground to freeze, making it easier to get heavy equipment over the border. Or he may be building up slowly, for diplomatic advantage, as he awaits a written reply from the Biden administration and NATO to his demands that they roll back NATO’s military posture to what it was 15 years ago — much farther from Russia’s borders.

While US&nbsp;officials still believe Putin is undecided about his next move, officials in Kyiv are assessing what an attack may look like, if it happens. It could come in the form of a full-on invasion, the Ukrainian security official said. Or Russia could launch a cyberattack on the Ukrainian energy grid — far larger than the ones conducted in 2015 and 2016 — combined with the military escalation in Ukraine’s east, where Russian-backed separatist forces remain deeply entrenched.

No one but the leaders in the Kremlin seem to know for sure how the next days and weeks might play out.

Against this backdrop, a senior delegation of U.S. senators arrived in Kyiv on Monday. Their trip followed a visit to Kyiv last Wednesday by CIA Director William J. Burns, who consulted with intelligence officials and met with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss efforts to de-escalate tensions with Moscow, a US&nbsp;official said. Burns’ trip was reported earlier by CNN.

The senators' visit was a bipartisan show of support from Ukraine’s most powerful ally, even if they brought few specific proposals for staving off a Russian attack.

“Russia’s actions in eastern Ukraine and Crimea, and the actions that they are planning today, represent the most serious assault on the post-World War II order in our lifetime,” Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Conn., who sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, said at a news conference in Kyiv.

Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and instigated a violent separatist uprising that effectively cleaved away two Ukrainian provinces. More than 13,000 people were killed in the fighting.

At the news conference, Murphy said he hoped legislation that outlines punishing sanctions against Russia’s leadership, including Putin, would reach President Joe Biden’s desk before any Russian action and possibly help deter it. In a meeting with the senators late Monday, Zelenskyy urged them to impose sanctions quickly “to counter the aggression” from Russia.

The senators’ pledges to defend democracy and vanquish tyranny seemed a throwback to the Cold War. Indeed, observers have argued that Putin’s threats against Ukraine are rooted in a desire to reconstitute a Moscow-led Eastern bloc reminiscent of Soviet times.

Similarly, Lukashenko, the Belarusian leader who is close to Putin, made his own argument that the Russians were responding to the Americans.

“What are the Americans doing here?” Lukashenko said. “There are these hotheads who are calling for war.”

It is possibly in that spirit that Russian troops will begin military exercises in Belarus next month. Security officials fear that the exercises could become a pretext for long-term deployment of Russian forces in the former Soviet republic, which shares a lengthy western border with the European Union and NATO.

Lukashenko has pledged to follow Putin’s lead on any action in Ukraine.

The week before intensive diplomatic meetings began over the buildup of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border, U.S. and Ukrainian officials watched from afar as Russia began emptying out its embassy in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital.

The week before intensive diplomatic meetings began over the buildup of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border, U.S. and Ukrainian officials watched from afar as Russia began emptying out its embassy in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. On January 5, 18 people - mostly the children and wives of Russian diplomats - boarded buses and embarked on a 15-hour drive home to Moscow, according to a senior Ukrainian security official. About 30 more followed in the next few days, from Kyiv and a consulate in Lviv, in western Ukraine. Diplomats at two other Russian consulates have been told to prepare to leave Ukraine, the security official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss national security matters. How to interpret the evacuation has become part of the mystery of divining the next play by President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Thinning out the Russian Embassy may be part propaganda, part preparation for a looming conflict or part feint, Ukrainian and U.S. officials say. It could be all three. In recent days, the slow departures — which the Russians most likely knew that the Americans and the Ukrainians would see — have become part of the puzzle of what happens next. They are a more ominous data point, in addition to cyberattacks on Ukrainian ministries last week, and reports from Microsoft and the US government that far more destructive malware has been planted in Ukrainian networks but not activated. Enormous train convoys loaded with tanks, missiles and troops continue to push west through Russia, apparently heading for the Ukrainian border. Alexander Lukashenko, the authoritarian leader of Belarus, announced Monday that Russian forces and equipment had begun arriving in his country for a joint military exercise that would be held in two places: on Belarus’ western edge, near Poland and Lithuania, two NATO countries; and along the Ukrainian border, which could prove another pathway for invasion. The exercise has been given a very American-sounding name: Allied Resolve. But in Kyiv, Ukrainian officials fully expect any Russian troops deployed to Belarus for the exercises to remain in place indefinitely, leaving Ukraine open to attack from the north, the east and the south. “We’ll be fully surrounded by equal forces,” the senior Ukrainian security official said. In Washington, US officials say they still assess that Putin has not yet made a decision to invade. They describe him as more a tactician than a grand strategist, and they believe that he is constantly weighing a host of different factors. Among them is how well he could weather the threatened sanctions on his banks and industry, and whether his demands that Ukraine stop veering toward NATO - and that NATO stop spreading toward Russia - are receiving enough attention. But the U.S. officials say Putin may also have concluded that with the United States and other countries arming Ukraine, his military advantage is at risk of slipping away. Britain’s defence secretary, Ben Wallace, announced in an address to Parliament on Monday that the country would begin providing Ukraine with light, anti-armour defensive weapons. Putin may become tempted to act sooner rather than later. US officials saw Russia’s embassy evacuations coming. “We have information that indicates the Russian government was preparing to evacuate their family members from the Russian Embassy in Ukraine in late December and early January,” a US official said in a statement. Ukrainian officials say they saw the Russians leave. But that leaves open the question of what, if anything, the Russians were signalling. It is possible they were trying to bolster the case that the U.S. and its Western allies should take seriously their demands that Ukraine can never join NATO, and that troops, nuclear weapons and other heavy weaponry must be removed from former Warsaw Pact states, like Poland, that were once allied with the Soviet Union. It could also be that the Russians were trying to indicate that an attack was brewing, though there were no other signals. In fact, the buildup of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border is not increasing at a rate that Pentagon officials expected a month ago. The latest US estimates are that about 60 battalion tactical groups, known as BTGs and each with an average of 800 soldiers, are now in place at the border with Ukraine. Combined with other local forces, the Russians have about 77,000 troops at the border, with more on the way. Others put the figure at closer to 100,000 — much depends on how different forces are counted — but that is well short of the Pentagon’s estimate more than a month ago that the total number could rise to 175,000. US and European intelligence and military officials say Putin may be waiting for the ground to freeze, making it easier to get heavy equipment over the border. Or he may be building up slowly, for diplomatic advantage, as he awaits a written reply from the Biden administration and NATO to his demands that they roll back NATO’s military posture to what it was 15 years ago — much farther from Russia’s borders. While US officials still believe Putin is undecided about his next move, officials in Kyiv are assessing what an attack may look like, if it happens. It could come in the form of a full-on invasion, the Ukrainian security official said. Or Russia could launch a cyberattack on the Ukrainian energy grid — far larger than the ones conducted in 2015 and 2016 — combined with the military escalation in Ukraine’s east, where Russian-backed separatist forces remain deeply entrenched. No one but the leaders in the Kremlin seem to know for sure how the next days and weeks might play out. Against this backdrop, a senior delegation of U.S. senators arrived in Kyiv on Monday. Their trip followed a visit to Kyiv last Wednesday by CIA Director William J. Burns, who consulted with intelligence officials and met with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss efforts to de-escalate tensions with Moscow, a US official said. Burns’ trip was reported earlier by CNN. The senators' visit was a bipartisan show of support from Ukraine’s most powerful ally, even if they brought few specific proposals for staving off a Russian attack. “Russia’s actions in eastern Ukraine and Crimea, and the actions that they are planning today, represent the most serious assault on the post-World War II order in our lifetime,” Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Conn., who sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, said at a news conference in Kyiv. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and instigated a violent separatist uprising that effectively cleaved away two Ukrainian provinces. More than 13,000 people were killed in the fighting. At the news conference, Murphy said he hoped legislation that outlines punishing sanctions against Russia’s leadership, including Putin, would reach President Joe Biden’s desk before any Russian action and possibly help deter it. In a meeting with the senators late Monday, Zelenskyy urged them to impose sanctions quickly “to counter the aggression” from Russia. The senators’ pledges to defend democracy and vanquish tyranny seemed a throwback to the Cold War. Indeed, observers have argued that Putin’s threats against Ukraine are rooted in a desire to reconstitute a Moscow-led Eastern bloc reminiscent of Soviet times. Similarly, Lukashenko, the Belarusian leader who is close to Putin, made his own argument that the Russians were responding to the Americans. “What are the Americans doing here?” Lukashenko said. “There are these hotheads who are calling for war.” It is possibly in that spirit that Russian troops will begin military exercises in Belarus next month. Security officials fear that the exercises could become a pretext for long-term deployment of Russian forces in the former Soviet republic, which shares a lengthy western border with the European Union and NATO. Lukashenko has pledged to follow Putin’s lead on any action in Ukraine.

Russia thins out its embassy in Ukraine, a possible clue to Putin’s next move

The United States said today that Russia has "prepositioned a group of operatives to conduct a false-flag operation in eastern Ukraine" in a bid to escalate the border crisis.

White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said Russia has operatives who are trained in urban warfare and are using "explosives to carry out acts of sabotage against Russia's own proxy forces".

The United States and Kyiv have warned that Russia is set to launch an invasion in Ukraine with thousands of Russian troops massed at the border.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-are-hypersonic-missiles-different-is-it-the-new-wonder-weapon-444335#hypersonics-the-new-frontier-in-missile-technology-444327">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;How are hypersonic missiles different, is it the new 'wonder weapon'?</a>

Psaki declared that Russia is "preparing for an invasion into Ukraine" while "fabricating" a pretext for an invasion.

The White House spokesperson alleged that Russia is carrying out "sabotage activities" by accusing Ukraine of preparing an attack.

"Plans to begin these activities several weeks before a military invasion which could begin between mid-January and mid-February," the White House spokesperson added.

Watch:&nbsp;Attempt at defusing tensions between Russia and Ukraine fails

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-third-attempt-at-defusing-tensions-between-russia-and-ukraine-fails-444835/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Russia however denied the US statements even as Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said intelligence was "very credible".

"They often hybridize their personnel to such a degree that the lines are not necessarily really clear," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/slew-of-disputes-between-former-cold-war-adversaries-us-and-russia-443661">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Slew of disputes between former Cold War adversaries US and Russia</a>

The latest revelations come even as reports said Ukraine was hit by a major cyberattack as the US said Russia had launched a disinformation campaign with "Ukrainian provocations in state and social media to justify a Russian intervention and sow divisions in Ukraine."&nbsp;

"We saw this playbook in 2014. They are preparing this playbook again," US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said referring to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Agencies)

The United States said today that Russia has "prepositioned a group of operatives to conduct a false-flag operation in eastern Ukraine" in a bid to escalate the border crisis.

The United States said today that Russia has "prepositioned a group of operatives to conduct a false-flag operation in eastern Ukraine" in a bid to escalate the border crisis. White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said Russia has operatives who are trained in urban warfare and are using "explosives to carry out acts of sabotage against Russia's own proxy forces". The United States and Kyiv have warned that Russia is set to launch an invasion in Ukraine with thousands of Russian troops massed at the border. Also Read in Pics: How are hypersonic missiles different, is it the new 'wonder weapon'? Psaki declared that Russia is "preparing for an invasion into Ukraine" while "fabricating" a pretext for an invasion. The White House spokesperson alleged that Russia is carrying out "sabotage activities" by accusing Ukraine of preparing an attack. "Plans to begin these activities several weeks before a military invasion which could begin between mid-January and mid-February," the White House spokesperson added. Watch: Attempt at defusing tensions between Russia and Ukraine fails Russia however denied the US statements even as Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said intelligence was "very credible". "They often hybridize their personnel to such a degree that the lines are not necessarily really clear," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. Also Read in Pics: Slew of disputes between former Cold War adversaries US and Russia The latest revelations come even as reports said Ukraine was hit by a major cyberattack as the US said Russia had launched a disinformation campaign with "Ukrainian provocations in state and social media to justify a Russian intervention and sow divisions in Ukraine." "We saw this playbook in 2014. They are preparing this playbook again," US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said referring to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. (With inputs from Agencies)

Russia conducting false-flag operation in eastern Ukraine: US

Here are some of the top stories to start your day: Joe Biden said that he will think about imposing personal sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin if he invades Ukraine.

Here are some of the top stories to start your day: Joe Biden said that he will think about imposing personal sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin if he invades Ukraine. India is celebrating its 73rd Republic Day. Click on headlines to read the full report: Ukraine crisis: Joe Biden's rare sanction threat to Vladimir Putin; Russian media's narrative is different The United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday (January 25) said that he will think about imposing personal sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin if he invades Ukraine. Live Republic Day parade 2022: India to showcase military might, cultural diversity at Rajpath India is celebrating 73rd Republic Day. On January 26 in 1950, the Constitution of India came into effect, and the country became a republic. Since then, the nation celebrates the date annually as Republic Day. Ahead of Winter Olympics, over 25% of US diplomats may leave China. Find out why Reports indicate that the State Department is preparing to approve the departure of American diplomats and their families from China. Is Navalny a terrorist? Russia adds Kremlin critic, allies to 'terrorists' list; US, EU condemn the move As authorities continue their crackdown on the opposition, Russia on Tuesday added jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and a number of his allies to its list of "terrorists and extremists". WATCH | Gravitas: China wants to 'purify' the internet ×

Morning news brief: Biden's rare sanction threat to Putin; India's Republic Day celebrations and more

Russian troops are encircling Ukraine from three sides. In Washington and Brussels, there are warnings of crushing sanctions if Vladimir Putin orders an invasion. Embassy families — both American and Russian — are being evacuated from Kyiv.

Yet there are still diplomatic options — “off-ramps” in the lingo of the negotiators — and in the next several days the Biden administration and NATO are expected to respond, in writing, to Putin’s far-reaching demands.

The question is whether there is real potential for compromise in three distinct areas: Russia’s demand for ironclad assurances that Ukraine won’t enter NATO; that NATO won’t further expand; and that Russia can somehow restore some approximation of its sphere of influence in the region to before the strategic map of Europe was redrawn in the mid-1990s.

The hardest issue of all defies negotiation: Putin’s demand that Ukraine reverse its “drift” toward the West. That is a matter of national sentiment, and polls show that in the years since Russia’s seizure of Crimea in 2014, Ukrainians are more desirous than ever of joining the Western alliance. Putin’s massing of the troops is likely to accelerate that trend, US&nbsp;officials say, rather than reverse it.

And as in all conflicts with roots in the Cold War and its aftermath, the subtext of any negotiation includes how the world’s two largest nuclear-armed states manage their arsenals — and use them for leverage.

While there is still time to avoid the worst, even President Joe Biden’s top aides say they have no idea if a diplomatic solution, rather than the conquest of Ukraine, is what Putin has in mind. The Russian president views Ukraine not as a separate nation but as a land that was negotiated away after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Many who have dealt with Putin believe he now sees it as his mission to correct that error, even if that means risking war to redraw the map of Europe.

Even if the diplomacy is for real, no one is certain how long they have to head off military action. A few weeks? Until the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics, on the theory that Putin would not want to anger President Xi Jinping by starting a war that would divert attention from China’s big moment?

Not all the potential blockades to a solution involve the Russians. If facing down Moscow was once a bipartisan task in Washington, it is no longer. Even before the counterproposals to Russia are finished, Republicans have been using the tensions to portray the administration as offering “appeasement,” a word chosen to evoke images of Britain’s approach to Nazi Germany in the 1930s.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, trying to blunt the angle of attack, shot back Sunday that “engaging in diplomacy doesn’t take the word ‘nyet’ out of your vocabulary.”

Defusing Ukraine

It is possible that Putin’s bottom line in this conflict is straightforward: that he wants to stop Ukraine from joining NATO and get an assurance that the United States and NATO will never place offensive weapons that threaten Russia’s security in Ukrainian territory.

On those two issues, it would seem, there is trading space. While the United States says it will never abandon the NATO “open door” policy — which means that every nation is free to make its own choice about whether it seeks to join the Western alliance — the reality is clear: Ukraine is so corrupt, and its grasp of democracy is so tenuous, that no one expects it to be accepted for NATO membership in the next decade or two.

On this, Biden has been clear.

“The likelihood that Ukraine is going to join NATO in the near term is not very likely,” he said at a news conference Wednesday, giving voice to a previously unspoken truth. “So there is room to work if he wants to do that.”

It seemed an open invitation to offer Russia some kind of assurance that, for a decade or maybe a quarter-century, NATO membership for Kyiv was off the table. But the Biden administration has drawn a red line at allowing Putin a right to veto which nations can join NATO.

More complex is negotiating the reverse problem: How the United States and NATO operate in Ukraine. Ever since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the United States and NATO nations have been haltingly providing Ukraine with what the West calls defensive arms, including the capability to take out Russian tanks and aircraft. That flow has sped up in recent weeks.

To hear Putin, those weapons are more offensive than defensive — and Russian disinformation campaigns have suggested that Washington’s real goal is to put nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Administration officials say the United States has no such plans — and some kind of agreement should be, as one official said, “the easiest part of this,” as long as Russia is willing to pull back its intermediate-range weapons as well.

Upending the European Order

Putin has made clear that he wants to restore what he calls Russia’s “sphere of influence” in the region — essentially a return to the Cold War order, before Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin agreed in 1997 that former Soviet states and Warsaw bloc nations could choose whether to seek membership in NATO. Since then, the alliance has roughly doubled in size.

Putin also wants all nuclear weapons out of Europe, even though those weapons — mostly gravity bombs that have been stored in Germany, Turkey, Italy and Belgium — have been there for decades.

Asked Wednesday whether he would take those weapons out or stop troop rotations through the former Soviet bloc, Biden said, “No, there’s not space for that.”

Rose Gottemoeller, who negotiated New START, the last major nuclear accord with Russia, said at the Center for the National Interest on Monday that Putin’s demands were partly “a temper-tantrum effect” after years in which Putin’s grievances have, in his view, never been taken seriously.

So is there room for negotiation? Perhaps there is, Gottemoeller said. She noted that Putin “cares about summitry with Biden,” which suggests that the two men might, ultimately, come to some kind of broader understanding about Europe’s future. At a minimum they could address the nuclear issues by reviving the Intermediate Nuclear Forces agreement, which Putin violated for years and President Donald Trump scrapped.

And the United States has suggested reviving an old agreement that would limit military exercises, prescribe how far away from borders they needed to be and reduce the fear that an “exercise” turns into an invasion.

The problem with this approach is that it sounds a lot like continuing the kind of grinding, incremental arrangements that have marked the post-Cold War era. And that is exactly the era Putin is trying to blow up.

Cuban Missile Crisis Redux?

If all these sound like quarter-century-old problems, well, they are. Which is why any new accords with Russia, to be truly effective, would have to embrace Russia’s turn toward deniable, hard-to-detect cyberweapons. As the Department of Homeland Security reminded private industry over the weekend, U.S. critical infrastructure, including the power grid, is laced with Russian-planted malware. So far, none has been triggered — and as a deterrent the United States has planted code in the Russian grid as well.

Such weapons do not lend themselves to arms control — they are hard to find and impossible to count. But no agreement with Russia that excludes them will address the constant, asymmetric battling that goes on between the two countries every day.

And then there is the problem that dominated the Cold War: nukes.

In the past week, Putin has been on the phone — not just to his old allies, but to the leaders of Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba. Some Russian news organizations have said the topics might be what Putin likes to call a “military-technical” response to the Ukraine crisis.

There have been hints from Russian officials about what that means: Russia could consider placing nuclear weapons back in the Western Hemisphere, within easy, short reach of US&nbsp;cities. If that sounds familiar, it should. It was the core of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the closest the world came to annihilation during the Cold War.

Putin’s motivation is clear: If the United States won’t remove its weapons from Europe — even ageing tactical weapons that need to be dropped from airplanes — he is determined to put US&nbsp;cities at similar risk. So far, there is no evidence that he is doing anything but talking. But even the suggestion of it has revived old fears.

“The last thing in the world President Biden would want is to engage us and Russia in a nuclear exchange,” said Thomas Pickering, a veteran of Cold War diplomacy who is considered the dean of retired American diplomats.

The fear, now as then, is escalation. “Many people have postulated how that might happen,” Pickering said. “Almost no one that I know has given a conclusive way to stop it once it starts.”

Russian troops are encircling Ukraine from three sides. In Washington and Brussels, there are warnings of crushing sanctions if Vladimir Putin orders an invasion.

Russian troops are encircling Ukraine from three sides. In Washington and Brussels, there are warnings of crushing sanctions if Vladimir Putin orders an invasion. Embassy families — both American and Russian — are being evacuated from Kyiv. Yet there are still diplomatic options — “off-ramps” in the lingo of the negotiators — and in the next several days the Biden administration and NATO are expected to respond, in writing, to Putin’s far-reaching demands. The question is whether there is real potential for compromise in three distinct areas: Russia’s demand for ironclad assurances that Ukraine won’t enter NATO; that NATO won’t further expand; and that Russia can somehow restore some approximation of its sphere of influence in the region to before the strategic map of Europe was redrawn in the mid-1990s. The hardest issue of all defies negotiation: Putin’s demand that Ukraine reverse its “drift” toward the West. That is a matter of national sentiment, and polls show that in the years since Russia’s seizure of Crimea in 2014, Ukrainians are more desirous than ever of joining the Western alliance. Putin’s massing of the troops is likely to accelerate that trend, US officials say, rather than reverse it. And as in all conflicts with roots in the Cold War and its aftermath, the subtext of any negotiation includes how the world’s two largest nuclear-armed states manage their arsenals — and use them for leverage. While there is still time to avoid the worst, even President Joe Biden’s top aides say they have no idea if a diplomatic solution, rather than the conquest of Ukraine, is what Putin has in mind. The Russian president views Ukraine not as a separate nation but as a land that was negotiated away after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Many who have dealt with Putin believe he now sees it as his mission to correct that error, even if that means risking war to redraw the map of Europe. Even if the diplomacy is for real, no one is certain how long they have to head off military action. A few weeks? Until the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics, on the theory that Putin would not want to anger President Xi Jinping by starting a war that would divert attention from China’s big moment? Not all the potential blockades to a solution involve the Russians. If facing down Moscow was once a bipartisan task in Washington, it is no longer. Even before the counterproposals to Russia are finished, Republicans have been using the tensions to portray the administration as offering “appeasement,” a word chosen to evoke images of Britain’s approach to Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, trying to blunt the angle of attack, shot back Sunday that “engaging in diplomacy doesn’t take the word ‘nyet’ out of your vocabulary.” Defusing Ukraine It is possible that Putin’s bottom line in this conflict is straightforward: that he wants to stop Ukraine from joining NATO and get an assurance that the United States and NATO will never place offensive weapons that threaten Russia’s security in Ukrainian territory. On those two issues, it would seem, there is trading space. While the United States says it will never abandon the NATO “open door” policy — which means that every nation is free to make its own choice about whether it seeks to join the Western alliance — the reality is clear: Ukraine is so corrupt, and its grasp of democracy is so tenuous, that no one expects it to be accepted for NATO membership in the next decade or two. On this, Biden has been clear. “The likelihood that Ukraine is going to join NATO in the near term is not very likely,” he said at a news conference Wednesday, giving voice to a previously unspoken truth. “So there is room to work if he wants to do that.” It seemed an open invitation to offer Russia some kind of assurance that, for a decade or maybe a quarter-century, NATO membership for Kyiv was off the table. But the Biden administration has drawn a red line at allowing Putin a right to veto which nations can join NATO. More complex is negotiating the reverse problem: How the United States and NATO operate in Ukraine. Ever since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the United States and NATO nations have been haltingly providing Ukraine with what the West calls defensive arms, including the capability to take out Russian tanks and aircraft. That flow has sped up in recent weeks. To hear Putin, those weapons are more offensive than defensive — and Russian disinformation campaigns have suggested that Washington’s real goal is to put nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Administration officials say the United States has no such plans — and some kind of agreement should be, as one official said, “the easiest part of this,” as long as Russia is willing to pull back its intermediate-range weapons as well. Upending the European Order Putin has made clear that he wants to restore what he calls Russia’s “sphere of influence” in the region — essentially a return to the Cold War order, before Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin agreed in 1997 that former Soviet states and Warsaw bloc nations could choose whether to seek membership in NATO. Since then, the alliance has roughly doubled in size. Putin also wants all nuclear weapons out of Europe, even though those weapons — mostly gravity bombs that have been stored in Germany, Turkey, Italy and Belgium — have been there for decades. Asked Wednesday whether he would take those weapons out or stop troop rotations through the former Soviet bloc, Biden said, “No, there’s not space for that.” Rose Gottemoeller, who negotiated New START, the last major nuclear accord with Russia, said at the Center for the National Interest on Monday that Putin’s demands were partly “a temper-tantrum effect” after years in which Putin’s grievances have, in his view, never been taken seriously. So is there room for negotiation? Perhaps there is, Gottemoeller said. She noted that Putin “cares about summitry with Biden,” which suggests that the two men might, ultimately, come to some kind of broader understanding about Europe’s future. At a minimum they could address the nuclear issues by reviving the Intermediate Nuclear Forces agreement, which Putin violated for years and President Donald Trump scrapped. And the United States has suggested reviving an old agreement that would limit military exercises, prescribe how far away from borders they needed to be and reduce the fear that an “exercise” turns into an invasion. The problem with this approach is that it sounds a lot like continuing the kind of grinding, incremental arrangements that have marked the post-Cold War era. And that is exactly the era Putin is trying to blow up. Cuban Missile Crisis Redux? If all these sound like quarter-century-old problems, well, they are. Which is why any new accords with Russia, to be truly effective, would have to embrace Russia’s turn toward deniable, hard-to-detect cyberweapons. As the Department of Homeland Security reminded private industry over the weekend, U.S. critical infrastructure, including the power grid, is laced with Russian-planted malware. So far, none has been triggered — and as a deterrent the United States has planted code in the Russian grid as well. Such weapons do not lend themselves to arms control — they are hard to find and impossible to count. But no agreement with Russia that excludes them will address the constant, asymmetric battling that goes on between the two countries every day. And then there is the problem that dominated the Cold War: nukes. In the past week, Putin has been on the phone — not just to his old allies, but to the leaders of Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba. Some Russian news organizations have said the topics might be what Putin likes to call a “military-technical” response to the Ukraine crisis. There have been hints from Russian officials about what that means: Russia could consider placing nuclear weapons back in the Western Hemisphere, within easy, short reach of US cities. If that sounds familiar, it should. It was the core of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the closest the world came to annihilation during the Cold War. Putin’s motivation is clear: If the United States won’t remove its weapons from Europe — even ageing tactical weapons that need to be dropped from airplanes — he is determined to put US cities at similar risk. So far, there is no evidence that he is doing anything but talking. But even the suggestion of it has revived old fears. “The last thing in the world President Biden would want is to engage us and Russia in a nuclear exchange,” said Thomas Pickering, a veteran of Cold War diplomacy who is considered the dean of retired American diplomats. The fear, now as then, is escalation. “Many people have postulated how that might happen,” Pickering said. “Almost no one that I know has given a conclusive way to stop it once it starts.”

War may loom, but are there off-ramps?

It is one of the most crucial days for Russia, Ukraine the US and its European allies. US secretary of state Antony Blinken and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov have landed in Geneva, the two leaders will meet today in a bid to defuse escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Antony Blinken and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov to hold talks on Russia-Ukraine crisis

Russian officials on Thursday signalled that they might abandon diplomatic efforts to resolve the security crisis surrounding Ukraine, bringing a whirlwind week of European diplomacy to an ominous end and deflating hopes that negotiators could forge a path toward easing tensions in Eastern Europe.

One senior Russian diplomat said that talks with the West were approaching a “dead end,” while another said the Kremlin would wait until it received written responses to its demands from Washington and from NATO next week before deciding how to proceed.

It was clear that Russia’s next move would be up to President Vladimir Putin, who, his spokesperson said Thursday, was being briefed regularly this week on negotiations with the West.

“The United States and its allies are actually saying no to key elements of these texts,” Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said, referring to the draft agreements with NATO and Washington that Russia published last month. “This is what we call a dead-end or a different approach.”

In Washington, Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, told reporters that after a week of diplomacy, the United States was ready to talk further, especially about missile deployments and military exercises in Europe, but was also preparing to respond “to a further Russian invasion of Ukraine.”

“We have been very clear with Russia on the costs and consequences of further military action or destabilization,” Sullivan said. “So we’re ready either way.”

Sullivan said the Russian responses to the meetings in Geneva, Brussels and Vienna had been contradictory, noting that some officials have been “hopeful” and others sounded “deeply pessimistic.” But he added, “I’m not going to put myself in the head of the Russians” and noted that American intelligence agencies had still not determined that the Russians had definitively decided on a military course of action.

The US&nbsp;representative to Thursday’s meeting, Michael Carpenter, also depicted the two sides as engaged in a standoff with no clear resolution.

“We must never stand for the flouting or erosion of our bedrock principles,” Carpenter said. “That means no tolerance for overt or tacit spheres of influence, no restrictions on the sovereign right of nations to choose their own alliances, no privileging one state’s security requirements over those of another.”

Russia is demanding that NATO drastically scale back its presence near Russia’s borders in Eastern Europe, including stopping all military cooperation with Ukraine and providing legally binding guarantees that the country will never join the alliance. Ryabkov said dialogue with the United States was continuing but also warned that Putin was receiving options from the military about what to do “in the case of a deterioration of the situation.”

Those options, analysts and Western officials believe, are likely to involve new Russian military action against Ukraine. Joining this week’s discussions for the first time Thursday, Ukraine said it had identified 106,000 Russian troops and 1,500 tanks near its border and accused Moscow of pointing a “gun at our common European security.”

Thursday’s gathering, the last of three negotiating sessions this week between Russia and the West, took place in Vienna at a meeting of the 57-country Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a group that includes Russia and Ukraine as well as the United States.

“It seems that the risk of war in the OSCE area is now greater than ever before in the last 30 years,” Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau of Poland, which took over the rotating chairmanship of the organization this year, said in opening the session.

The West insists all countries must have the freedom to choose their alliances, while the Kremlin says that NATO cannot expand eastward and that Western military cooperation with post-Soviet countries such as Ukraine presents an existential threat to Russia’s security.

While Russian officials said this week that they were impressed with the seriousness with which the Biden administration -&nbsp;which the Kremlin sees as its main counterpart -&nbsp;engaged in the talks, there was no sign Thursday that the impasse had been broken.

And while U.S. officials say they are prepared to discuss some of Russia’s concerns -&nbsp;such as negotiating reciprocal limits on where and how military exercises are conducted, or perhaps reviving the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which the United States pulled out of two years ago -&nbsp;they reject any discussion of Russia’s central demand to roll back NATO expansion.

And it is that larger goal that seems to be driving Russia in the negotiations, as it seeks to keep Ukraine out of NATO and NATO forces from placing troops or weapons in former Soviet states that have since joined the Western alliance. The United States has insisted it will not abandon core principles, including the right of nations to pick their allies, which is at the heart of NATO’s “open door” policy.

In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also adopted a pessimistic tone.

“The hard reality right now is that we were promised a written reaction,” Lavrov said in an interview aired Thursday, according to the Interfax news agency. “We will wait for it. And then we will determine our next steps.”

Carpenter, asked about Lavrov’s comments, said he did not know whether such a written response was coming.

Ukraine, rejecting Russia’s denials that it had no plans to invade, said Russia’s massing of troops near the Ukrainian border needed to be reversed.

“The Russian leadership proves once again Moscow’s voluntarism to point the gun at our common European security at any moment they want,” said Ukraine’s representative, Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk.

Thursday’s talks were at a lower diplomatic level than the negotiations in Brussels and Geneva earlier this week, with no one above the ambassador rank in attendance from the key countries involved. Their host, the OSCE, is expected to serve as a key venue for more negotiations if the Kremlin decides to pursue diplomacy.

“We are not indifferent to security objections voiced by participating states,” Rau said. “I believe that the OSCE is the right platform to discuss every aspect of comprehensive security.”

It was the latest sign that Western countries are scrambling to engage with Russia, which has warned of a “military-technical” response if concerns over its security -&nbsp;such as overt Western military cooperation with Ukraine — are not addressed.

While Russia denies it has plans to invade Ukraine, researchers have identified some new signs of Russian troops moving toward the Ukrainian border in recent days.

Russia’s representative at the talks Thursday in Vienna, Alexander Lukashevich, underscored that Moscow was not ruling out the possibility of further negotiations. Military analysts have noted that&nbsp;were Russia to invade Ukraine, the wintertime frozen ground would be advantageous to its heavy armour.

“If we do not hear a constructive response on our proposals in a reasonable time frame,” Lukashevich said in remarks released by his office, “we will be forced to draw the corresponding conclusions and take all necessary measures to assure the strategic balance and remove unacceptable threats to our national security.”

Russian officials on Thursday signalled that they might abandon diplomatic efforts to resolve the security crisis surrounding Ukraine, bringing a whirlwind week of European diplomacy to an ominous end and deflating hopes that negotiators could forge a path toward easing tensions in Eastern Europe.

Russian officials on Thursday signalled that they might abandon diplomatic efforts to resolve the security crisis surrounding Ukraine, bringing a whirlwind week of European diplomacy to an ominous end and deflating hopes that negotiators could forge a path toward easing tensions in Eastern Europe. One senior Russian diplomat said that talks with the West were approaching a “dead end,” while another said the Kremlin would wait until it received written responses to its demands from Washington and from NATO next week before deciding how to proceed. It was clear that Russia’s next move would be up to President Vladimir Putin, who, his spokesperson said Thursday, was being briefed regularly this week on negotiations with the West. “The United States and its allies are actually saying no to key elements of these texts,” Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said, referring to the draft agreements with NATO and Washington that Russia published last month. “This is what we call a dead-end or a different approach.” In Washington, Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, told reporters that after a week of diplomacy, the United States was ready to talk further, especially about missile deployments and military exercises in Europe, but was also preparing to respond “to a further Russian invasion of Ukraine.” “We have been very clear with Russia on the costs and consequences of further military action or destabilization,” Sullivan said. “So we’re ready either way.” Sullivan said the Russian responses to the meetings in Geneva, Brussels and Vienna had been contradictory, noting that some officials have been “hopeful” and others sounded “deeply pessimistic.” But he added, “I’m not going to put myself in the head of the Russians” and noted that American intelligence agencies had still not determined that the Russians had definitively decided on a military course of action. The US representative to Thursday’s meeting, Michael Carpenter, also depicted the two sides as engaged in a standoff with no clear resolution. “We must never stand for the flouting or erosion of our bedrock principles,” Carpenter said. “That means no tolerance for overt or tacit spheres of influence, no restrictions on the sovereign right of nations to choose their own alliances, no privileging one state’s security requirements over those of another.” Russia is demanding that NATO drastically scale back its presence near Russia’s borders in Eastern Europe, including stopping all military cooperation with Ukraine and providing legally binding guarantees that the country will never join the alliance. Ryabkov said dialogue with the United States was continuing but also warned that Putin was receiving options from the military about what to do “in the case of a deterioration of the situation.” Those options, analysts and Western officials believe, are likely to involve new Russian military action against Ukraine. Joining this week’s discussions for the first time Thursday, Ukraine said it had identified 106,000 Russian troops and 1,500 tanks near its border and accused Moscow of pointing a “gun at our common European security.” Thursday’s gathering, the last of three negotiating sessions this week between Russia and the West, took place in Vienna at a meeting of the 57-country Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a group that includes Russia and Ukraine as well as the United States. “It seems that the risk of war in the OSCE area is now greater than ever before in the last 30 years,” Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau of Poland, which took over the rotating chairmanship of the organization this year, said in opening the session. The West insists all countries must have the freedom to choose their alliances, while the Kremlin says that NATO cannot expand eastward and that Western military cooperation with post-Soviet countries such as Ukraine presents an existential threat to Russia’s security. While Russian officials said this week that they were impressed with the seriousness with which the Biden administration - which the Kremlin sees as its main counterpart - engaged in the talks, there was no sign Thursday that the impasse had been broken. And while U.S. officials say they are prepared to discuss some of Russia’s concerns - such as negotiating reciprocal limits on where and how military exercises are conducted, or perhaps reviving the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which the United States pulled out of two years ago - they reject any discussion of Russia’s central demand to roll back NATO expansion. And it is that larger goal that seems to be driving Russia in the negotiations, as it seeks to keep Ukraine out of NATO and NATO forces from placing troops or weapons in former Soviet states that have since joined the Western alliance. The United States has insisted it will not abandon core principles, including the right of nations to pick their allies, which is at the heart of NATO’s “open door” policy. In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also adopted a pessimistic tone. “The hard reality right now is that we were promised a written reaction,” Lavrov said in an interview aired Thursday, according to the Interfax news agency. “We will wait for it. And then we will determine our next steps.” Carpenter, asked about Lavrov’s comments, said he did not know whether such a written response was coming. Ukraine, rejecting Russia’s denials that it had no plans to invade, said Russia’s massing of troops near the Ukrainian border needed to be reversed. “The Russian leadership proves once again Moscow’s voluntarism to point the gun at our common European security at any moment they want,” said Ukraine’s representative, Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk. Thursday’s talks were at a lower diplomatic level than the negotiations in Brussels and Geneva earlier this week, with no one above the ambassador rank in attendance from the key countries involved. Their host, the OSCE, is expected to serve as a key venue for more negotiations if the Kremlin decides to pursue diplomacy. “We are not indifferent to security objections voiced by participating states,” Rau said. “I believe that the OSCE is the right platform to discuss every aspect of comprehensive security.” It was the latest sign that Western countries are scrambling to engage with Russia, which has warned of a “military-technical” response if concerns over its security - such as overt Western military cooperation with Ukraine — are not addressed. While Russia denies it has plans to invade Ukraine, researchers have identified some new signs of Russian troops moving toward the Ukrainian border in recent days. Russia’s representative at the talks Thursday in Vienna, Alexander Lukashevich, underscored that Moscow was not ruling out the possibility of further negotiations. Military analysts have noted that were Russia to invade Ukraine, the wintertime frozen ground would be advantageous to its heavy armour. “If we do not hear a constructive response on our proposals in a reasonable time frame,” Lukashevich said in remarks released by his office, “we will be forced to draw the corresponding conclusions and take all necessary measures to assure the strategic balance and remove unacceptable threats to our national security.”

Russia, at an impasse with the West, warns it is ready to abandon diplomacy

Ahead of the phone call between President&nbsp;Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden, the Russian president's spokesman said there is a "mood for a conversation" emphasising that differences can be resolved through talks.

"We are in the mood for a conversation, this is what we want," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

The White House had said earlier that President Biden is likely to offer a "diplomatic path" to President Putin in the ongoing crisis with Ukraine. Russia had recently conducted military drill as tensions continues to mount at the border.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-tensions-with-ukraine-russia-inducts-s-550-air-defence-system-report-440960">Also Read:&nbsp;Amid tensions with Ukraine, Russia inducts S-550 air defence system</a>

Meanwhile, amid tensions with Ukraine, Russia’s aerospace forces received an upgraded A-50U long-range surveillance aircraft.

The aircraft can detect new types of aircraft and has the ability to guide fighter jets towards targets. The aircraft is known as a "flying radar".

Watch:&nbsp;Russian troops amass near Ukraine border

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russian-troops-amass-near-ukraine-border-440824/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The aircraft can reportedly track targets on the ground including naval targets. The development comes as Russia and US prepare to open talks in Geneva on the Ukraine crisis on January 10.

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have escalated in the past two months with the US administration pointing out that thousands of Russian troops have amassed at the border.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-trains-civilians-to-defend-against-russian-invasion-440536">Also Read:&nbsp;Ukraine trains civilians to defend against Russian invasion</a>

President Putin has insisted that Russian troops have the right to move inside the country and has denied plans to invade Ukraine.

The Russian president said that there he is looking forward to "effective dialogue" with US President Biden as the two leaders get set to speak on the phone on Thursday.&nbsp;US president had threatened large scale sanctions against Russia during his last phone call with Putin if Russia attacked Ukraine.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Ahead of the phone call between President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden, the Russian president's spokesman said there is a "mood for a conversation" emphasising that differences can be resolved through talks.

Ahead of the phone call between President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden, the Russian president's spokesman said there is a "mood for a conversation" emphasising that differences can be resolved through talks. "We are in the mood for a conversation, this is what we want," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The White House had said earlier that President Biden is likely to offer a "diplomatic path" to President Putin in the ongoing crisis with Ukraine. Russia had recently conducted military drill as tensions continues to mount at the border. Also Read: Amid tensions with Ukraine, Russia inducts S-550 air defence system Meanwhile, amid tensions with Ukraine, Russia’s aerospace forces received an upgraded A-50U long-range surveillance aircraft. The aircraft can detect new types of aircraft and has the ability to guide fighter jets towards targets. The aircraft is known as a "flying radar". Watch: Russian troops amass near Ukraine border The aircraft can reportedly track targets on the ground including naval targets. The development comes as Russia and US prepare to open talks in Geneva on the Ukraine crisis on January 10. Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have escalated in the past two months with the US administration pointing out that thousands of Russian troops have amassed at the border. Also Read: Ukraine trains civilians to defend against Russian invasion President Putin has insisted that Russian troops have the right to move inside the country and has denied plans to invade Ukraine. The Russian president said that there he is looking forward to "effective dialogue" with US President Biden as the two leaders get set to speak on the phone on Thursday. US president had threatened large scale sanctions against Russia during his last phone call with Putin if Russia attacked Ukraine. (With inputs from Agencies)

We are in the mood for a conversation, says Russia ahead of Putin-Biden phone call

russia-ukraine

Russia Ukraine, News on Russia Ukraine, stories on Russia Ukraine, articles on Russia Ukraine, Russia Ukraine stories at Wion, Russia Ukraine news, Russia Ukraine latest news

russia ukraine