Russia on Thursday said it is considering a diplomatic opening in the Ukrainian crisis, but did not commit to any concrete steps.
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On Thursday, Ukrainian military exercised in the Volnovakha area of eastern Ukraine. Credit… The New York Times’ Brendan Hoffman
PARIS, France — Despite the Pentagon’s warning that Moscow was deploying additional soldiers to its border with Ukraine, Russia’s foreign minister hinted that there could be possibility for negotiation with the US on certain topics.
At the same time, on Friday morning, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin in the hopes of defusing growing tensions in Europe.
Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said the US’ recent written answer to its security requests held “a kernel of reason” for a potential compromise on missile installations and military drills.
In an interview with Russian radio, Mr. Lavrov stated, “If it relies on Russia, there will be no conflict.” “We don’t want to fight wars.” We will not, however, allow our interests to be stomped on or disregarded.”
Russia, on the other hand, has raised a wide variety of concerns, effectively advocating for a reworking of Europe’s post-Cold War security arrangements and a withdrawal of NATO soldiers from Eastern Europe. For the United States and its Western allies, this is a non-starter.
According to Western authorities, Russia’s public pronouncements, which are sometimes inconsistent, do not correspond to the steps it has taken to position its troops on Ukraine’s northern, southern, and eastern borders.
As a result, the situation stays contradictory and confrontational.
Military troops proceeded to encircle Ukraine in large numbers. More Russian soldiers have been pushed into the area in the last 24 hours, according to the Pentagon. Meanwhile, while NATO bolstered its defensive posture in Eastern Europe, the US and its European partners continued to provide armaments to Ukraine.
In the midst of the storm, Ukraine’s authorities advised citizens to keep calm, downplayed the threat’s urgency, and voiced alarm about the increased rhetoric from both the West and Russia.
Apart from a buildup of soldiers in neighboring Belarus, where Russian expects to perform military exercises next month, Ukraine’s defense minister made a statement to Parliament on Friday in which he stated there was no higher risk of military action from Russia now than there was a year ago.
Children were sledding in Kyiv, the capital, while Ukrainian forces dug into trenches near the snow-covered eastern front. The majority of folks went about their everyday routines.
The possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine is not seen with the same seriousness in Paris and Berlin as it is in Washington and the nations closest to Ukraine, such as Poland and the Baltic States.
In recent days, France has emphasized the need to “de-escalate” the problem in order to prevent a “self-fulfilling” war driven by misperceptions and overblown rhetoric. In the confrontation with Russia, Washington has also remained hard with its NATO partners, promising to deploy soldiers to Romania, for example.
Other military or aviation bases
Russia has started to move.
soldiers, armor, and modern technology
into anti-aircraft systems
Belarus is a close ally of the United States.
There are around 130,000 Russian forces on the ground.
have been stationed close
Ukraine’s western border.
Forces stationed to the north of
Ukraine has the potential to grow.
The country’s armies are depleted, and
Kyiv, the country’s capital, is under attack.
Line of approximation
dividing Ukrainians and Russians
Forces supported by Russia.
Nearly 20,000 soldiers are stationed nearby.
two provinces that have split apart from the rest of the country
Ukraine has been stuck in a stalemate for a long time.
a long-drawn-out conflict with Russian-backed insurgents
Since 2014, separatists have been active.
Other military or aviation bases
There are around 130,000 Russian forces on the ground.
have been stationed close
Ukraine’s western border.
Russia has started to move.
soldiers, armor, and modern technology
into anti-aircraft systems
Belarus is a close ally of the United States.
Line of approximation
dividing Ukrainians and Russians
Forces supported by Russia.
Nearly 20,000 soldiers are stationed nearby. two
Ukraine’s breakaway provinces
has been stuck in a stalemate
a conflict with Russian-backed forces
Since 2014, separatists have been active.
There are around 130,000 Russian forces on the ground.
have been stationed close
Ukraine’s western border.
Russia has started to move.
soldiers, armor, and modern technology
into anti-aircraft systems
Belarus is a close ally of the United States.
Line of approximation
dividing Ukrainians and Russians
Forces supported by Russia.
Nearly 20,000 soldiers are stationed nearby. two
Ukraine’s breakaway provinces
has been stuck in a stalemate
a conflict with Russian-backed forces
Since 2014, separatists have been active.
There are around 130,000 Russian forces on the ground.
have been stationed close
Ukraine’s western border.
Russia has started to move.
soldiers, armor, and modern technology
into anti-aircraft systems
Belarus is a close ally of the United States.
Nearly 20,000 soldiers are stationed nearby.
two provinces that have split apart from the rest of the country
Ukraine has been stuck in a stalemate for a long time.
a long-drawn-out conflict with Russian-backed insurgents
Since 2014, separatists have been active.
Note that the numbers of recently arriving soldiers in Belarus, Crimea, and western Russia are estimations.
Mr. Macron has long championed a more conciliatory approach to Russia than the US or some of his European allies, and he has emphasized the need of maintaining a robust but open communication with Moscow.
“The primary concerns of Russia went unmet,” the Kremlin stated in a statement published following their phone discussion.
According to the Kremlin statement, Mr. Putin is currently analyzing the written answers from the US and NATO and will “then decide on its next steps.”
Since before Christmas, Mr. Putin has been silent on the problem, allowing the West to speculate about his intentions.
Since a stormy “virtual summit” in early December, Mr. Biden and Mr. Putin have not talked one-on-one. Over Monday, the Biden administration scheduled a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, which might result in a face-to-face confrontation between the US and Russia on Ukraine.
Mr. Macron’s attempts to repair relations with Russia have stalled, and his enthusiasm for a reconciliation with Mr. Putin has waned in recent years, especially after Mr. Putin’s most prominent opponent, Aleksei A. Navalny, was poisoned in an operation later revealed to be orchestrated by the Kremlin.
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