Amid escalating tensions with Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin said the West is ignoring “fundamental Russian concerns”.
“It is already clear that fundamental Russian concerns ended up being ignored,” Putin said even as NATO and US rejected Russia’s security document.
The Kremlin had submitted a security document last month in which it said the European military alliance should not induct Ukraine into its fold, a demand which was rejected by the Biden administration including NATO.
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“It seems to me that the United States is not so much concerned about the security of Ukraine,” Putin said, adding,”Ukraine itself is just a tool to achieve this goal.”
The Russian president added that the US was trying “different ways”, saying: “Drawing us into some kind of armed conflict. And to force, among other things, their allies in Europe to impose the tough sanctions against us that the United States is talking about.”
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The US and Ukraine have warned for months that Russia has massed thousands of troops at the border in order to invade Kyiv, however, Putin has maintained his forces have no invasion plans while asserting that Russian troops are free to move anywhere inside their territory.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken once again urged Russia to “de-escalate” tensions and pullback troops even as his Russian counterpart foreign minister Lavrov said he was ready for further discussions.
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Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russian forces were a “clear and present danger” for Ukraine while urging Russia to step back even as UK foreign secretary Liz Truss said the Johnson government was putting together “the toughest sanctions regime against Russia we’ve ever had”.
(With inputs from Agencies)
