Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would ponder his options if the West fails to meet his push for security guarantees precluding Nato’s expansion to Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would ponder his options if the West fails to meet his push for security guarantees precluding Nato’s expansion to Ukraine. E arlier this month, Moscow submitted draft security documents demanding that Nato deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back its military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe. The Kremlin presented its security demand amid tensions over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine in recent weeks that has fuelled Western fears of a possible invasion. US President Joe Biden warned Mr Putin in a video call earlier this month that Russia will face “severe consequences” if it attacks Ukraine. Russia has denied an intention of launching an invasion and, in its turn, accused Ukraine of hatching plans to try to reclaim control of the territories held by Moscow-backed rebels by force. Ukraine has rejected the claim. Mr Putin has urged the West to move quickly to meet his demands, warning that Moscow will have to take “adequate military-technical measures” if the West continues its “aggressive” course “on the threshold of our home”. Asked to specify what such Moscow’s response could be, he said in comments aired by Russian state TV Sunday that “it could be diverse”, adding that “it will depend on what proposals our military experts submit to me”.
