US Is Using Ukraine As A ‘tool’ To Contain Russia-Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the United States and its allies of ignoring Moscow’s security concerns over Ukraine but says he hopes the two sides will be able to negotiate a solution to the intensifying standoff.

Speaking in Moscow on Tuesday, Putin said the Kremlin was studying a response from the US and NATO to demands Russia presented – including keeping Ukraine out of the Western security alliance – but said the replies had been far from adequate.

“It is already clear that fundamental Russian concerns ended up being ignored,” Putin said at a news conference with the visiting prime minister of Hungary.

Putin said that while the US says it is concerned about Ukraine’s security, it is using the ex-Soviet country as a “tool” in its efforts to contain Russia.

Still, he argued that it was possible to find an end to the crisis if the interests of all parties, including Russia’s security concerns, are taken into account.

“I hope that we will eventually find a solution, although we realise that it’s not going to be easy,” he said.

The current standoff has resulted in tensions between Russia and the West reaching levels not seen since the end of the Cold War.

Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops near its borders with Ukraine, prompting Western leaders to accuse Moscow of preparing an invasion of its neighbour and to warn of severe consequences if it invades.

Russia insists it has no plans to attack and has instead put forward proposals it says would ease tensions.

In addition to demanding that NATO not expand to Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations, the proposals ask the US and NATO to refrain from deploying offensive weapons near Russia and roll back its deployments to Eastern Europe.

The US and its allies, however, say Ukraine, like any other nation, has the right to choose alliances, although it is not a NATO member now and is unlikely to join any time soon.

In Washington, DC, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said “the door to diplomacy, remains open”, but she stressed that “does not mean that we are not going to stand by our own values, which includes our belief and the belief of NATO countries that it should be up to NATO members to determine who is able to join NATO”.

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