2 year agoVideo showing S-300 system and missile containers in Vesela Lopan, Belgorod region
2 year agoLavrov, in a conversation with Blinken, noted the inadmissibility of aggressive rhetoric pumped up by Washington, calling for a pragmatic dialogue on issues raised by Russia - Russian Foreign Ministry
A White House Official says President Joe Biden talked with French President Macron by phone starting at 10:11a ET. That call lasted 49 minutes. They talked about Russian aggression
2 year agoRussian Defense Minister Shoigu arrived in Syria to inspect the exercises, and also met with Assad. More than 15 warships and over 30 aircraft are taking part in the exercises of the Russian Navy in the Mediterranean Sea
Germany's @Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz after meeting with Russian President Putin, calls for courageous action from all, says it is our "damned duty" to stand up for peace
Amid Russian statements about redeploying forces, @SecBlinken speaking now to FM Lavrov, a State Dept official says
Asked by @dpa if Russia will withdraw troops from border and commit to not invade, Putin says "we will act according to the plan..and the plan depends on what happens on the ground.."
2 year agoA Russian invasion of Ukraine is "highly likely", but there's a possibility the current stalemate could endure for an "extended period", UK foreign secretary said in a letter to MPs. @trussliz said any invasion, though, could be imminent & happen with no or little warning
Putin, re Ukraine joining NATO: "We need to resolve this question now"
Putin repeats his line that Russia was promised 30 years ago that NATO wouldn't expand. "And now we see NATO infrastructure right at our borders
Scholz says he told Putin a conviction of @navalny "is not acceptable in our opinion"
Putin, asked if Russian troop withdrawal will continue, says "who will be able to answer how it will develop? At the moment, nobody. It does not depend just on us."
Scholz: "If [war over Ukraine] does happen, it would have far-reaching consequences"
Scholz: "If we ignore the Minsk agreement and what was voted on today in the Russian parliament becomes reality, the process would end and that would be a disaster"
2 year agoPutin seems to say he won't confirm vote: "I've just been informed by my administration. Deputies follow public opinion. It's clear overwhelming majority sympathise with Donbass citizens. But need to resolve the problem that Donbass, but we need to do it via Minsk"
Scholz pushes back against Putin's remarks on Yugoslavia - says that was a response to "mass murder." Putin cuts in: "according to our estimates, what is happening today in Donbas is genocide
Putin: what is happening now in the Donbass is genocide
Putin: Russia doesn't want war, that's why it put forward its security proposals
The US State Department: We are not sure of reports that Russia has withdrawn some of its forces from the borders of Ukraine
Russian President Putin says "there are mass violations of human rights being legitimised in Ukraine"
German Chancellor Scholz, standing next to Putin in Moscow, says it is urgent to have de-escalation so there is not a war in Europe
Scholz: I explained to the Russian President during the talks that the Russian military build-up on the borders of Ukraine is a threat
Scholz said that in his talks with Putin, he expressed hope that DW would be able to work in Russia
Putin says "we see threats in forceful constrain of Russia"
2 year agoDe-escalation rhetoric now from Putin: Although US & NATO responses "didn't answer Russia's concerns" they "contained ideas that we are not against discussing"
Putin: Western and American responses did not respond to Russian demands
Putin: "the three basic Russian requirements that were put forward have not been met"
Putin: We must respond to Russian concerns and meet the security guarantees it demands
Putin after talks with Scholz: Russia will continue gas supplies through Ukraine even after 2024, if there is demand and profitability
Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine: Russia’s recognition of the so-called “Donetsk and Luhansk peoples’ republics” will be tantamount to its deliberate withdrawal from the Minsk Agreements. We call on Moscow to take a constructive stance towards achieving progress in the framework of existing negotiation formats.
