Russia has condemned a US decision to send extra troops to Europe to support its allies amid continuing fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow said it was a “destructive” step which heightened tension and reduced the scope for a political solution.
The Pentagon said 2,000 US troops would be sent from North Carolina to Poland and Germany, and a further 1,000 already in Germany would go to Romania.
Russia has some 100,000 troops near Ukraine. It denies planning to invade.
The tensions come eight years after Russia annexed Ukraine’s southern Crimea peninsula and backed a bloody rebellion in the eastern Donbas region.
Moscow accuses the Ukrainian government of failing to implement the Minsk agreement – an international deal to restore peace to the east, where Russian-backed rebels control swathes of territory and at least 14,000 people have been killed since 2014.
The US and the Western military alliance Nato question the continued build up of Russian forces near Ukraine.
On Thursday Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had seen a “significant movement” of roughly 30,000 Russian troops to Belarus in the last few days – the biggest deployment to the country since the end of the Cold War.
Russia says the troops are there for joint military drills.
Ukraine, meanwhile, has sought to dampen talks of conflict. Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Thursday the number of ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine had dropped, and that there have been no combat losses for three weeks.
A ‘destructive’ step
Responding to US President Joe Biden’s decision to deploy extra troops to Europe this week, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said it was a “destructive” and an “unjustified” step.
Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Grushko added that it would “delight” the Ukrainian authorities, who would continue sabotaging the Minsk agreement “with impunity”.
The Pentagon earlier said the US troops being deployed would not fight in Ukraine – but would ensure the defence of Washington’s allies.
Their deployment is in addition to the 8,500 troops the Pentagon put on alert last month to be ready to deploy to Europe if needed.
“It’s important that we send a strong signal to Mr Putin and, frankly, to the world that Nato matters to the United States and it matters to our allies,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Wednesday.
But on the question of alleged invasion plans by Mr Putin, he said: “We still don’t believe he’s made a decision to further invade Ukraine.”
He also said a US proposal “leaked to a European news outlet” was genuine. He appeared to be referring to a story in Spain’s El País newspaper about a US offer of talks with Russia in exchange for reducing tensions over Ukraine.
The US proposals reportedly include:
- “Reciprocal commitments” by the US and Russia “to refrain from deploying offensive ground-launched missile systems and permanent forces with a combat mission in the territory of Ukraine”
- Talks about reducing nuclear weaponry and missile launchers
- A “transparency mechanism” to show Russia there are no US cruise missiles at two Nato bases in Romania and Bulgaria, in exchange for Russia allowing the US to check two of its bases for missiles
The documents said the US would discuss all issues that affect European security with its allies.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60238869
“Moscow said it was a “destructive” step which heightened tension and reduced the scope for a political solution.
The Pentagon said 2,000 US troops would be sent from North Carolina to Poland and Germany, and a further 1,000 already in Germany would go to Romania.”
So 30,000 Russians in Belarus on some fake military exercises is not destructive or threatening,but 3000 US troops in 2 countries nowhere near mordors border is destructive? Are Russia so scared of the US military might?
Minsk is toilet paper and void. Minsk is based on the violation of various treaties and Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders. Nothing to implement, but instead restore Ukraine’s borders. The drunk drivel from RuSSia, aka arrogance, lies and total bullshit don’t impress anybody no more. Like a wannabe bully in school… ‘I will punch you, i will do it, i mean it, really, no shit, it’s coming’… knowing his ass will be broken when he tries.
We saw how tough Russia was when Wagner terrorists got fried in Syria. I’m sure they don’t want a repeat of that any time soon.
Yeah. Even if Russia originally intended to invade, the momentum is gone. Ukraine is prepared and armed to the teeth while in Russia the support for such a mess is plunging. Had Putin invaded six or eight weeks ago he could have achieved something. But now he will get beat up badly if he tries.
A WH spokesman was at pains to point out yesterday that “they are not being sent to fight in Ukraine.”
Ukrainians must feel rather depressed and puzzled to learn that if and when putler attacks Ukraine, the US will be there: but only protecting the countries not under threat of putinazi invasion.
Both Budapest signatories, whilst being way ahead of anyone else in terms of support for Ukraine, are still falling well short of the mark. Hard not to conclude that both using the “Ukraine is not a Nato member” excuse is very shallow. There is nothing to stop any country from helping Ukraine unilaterally and in their case they have a much stronger reason than Nato membership: The Budapest Memorandum.
Were Biden’s statements that he won’t put troops on the ground in Ukraine a way of leaving the option open for deployment of air power?
I guess not, but you never know ….