Moscow must "ease tensions", this is the message he wanted to send Joe Biden a Putin after the siege of the Kremlin troops deployed close to the borders with Ukraine. At least 100 thousand units would be employed on the western borders by Moscow.
Biden phoned the Kremlin tenant proposing a meeting in the coming months in a third country to discuss the full range of problems facing the US and Russia. It would be the first meeting between the two world leaders, despite the fact that there are still strong tensions over a series of questions that are still open. The Kremlin also confirmed that the two heads of state intend to foster dialogue in the most important sectors for world security, including the Ukrainian crisis.
Biden reiterated to Putin "the unwavering commitment of the US to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine ". While the US Secretary of State, Antony blinken, in Brussels to meet NATO allies, called Moscow's actions to concentrate troops in western Russia as "provocative".
"Russia will no longer be able to take anyone by surprise, Ukraine and its friends will be vigilant", the Ukrainian Foreign Minister ordered Dmitry Kuleba, after meeting Stoltenberg and Blinken.
According to an American intelligence report, Russia "does not want direct conflict"With the United States but"will continue with its efforts to destabilize Ukraine ". The Secretary General of the NATO Jens Stoltemberg"The considerable military concentration of Russia not far from the borders with Ukraine is unjustified, inexplicable and deeply worrying: Russia must put an end to it, stop its provocations and immediately reduce the escalation ".
The Kremlin's response was immediate through its defense minister Sergey Shoigu"Moscow is taking some steps to address Alliance threats. In about three weeks Russia has deployed two armies and three divisions of airborne troops near its western borders and in the exercise areas ”.
Minister Shoigu then goes down hard accusing NATO of wanting to deploy 40.000 soldiers and 15.000 war vehicles near the borders of Russia. The US is sending another 400 troops to Germany. Two military analysts, writes Ansa, interviewed by the AFP, Vasili Kachin e Alexander Goltz, estimate that the two Russian armies and three Russian divisions of which Shoigu speaks make up a force of about 100.000 soldiers. Russia is also accused of militarily supporting separatist militiamen fighting against Ukrainian regular troops.
During 2021 they were 29 Ukrainian soldiers who lost their lives in the Donbass, in 2020, however, they had been about 50 dead.