Tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine appeared to ease slightly after Moscow said it had pulled back some of its troops deployed near the border, a claim that provided what NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg called “grounds for cautious optimism.”
President Vladimir Putin told a news conference on February 15 following talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Moscow that Russia had decided to partially withdraw troops from areas around the border with Ukraine and saw some room for further discussion with the West on Moscow’s security demands.
Scholz called the move to pull back some troops, which has yet to be independently detailed and verified, a “good sign” toward de-escalating a crisis that has threatened to break out into military conflict.
Diplomatic options were “far from exhausted,” he added after more than three hours of talks with the Russian leader.
Stoltenberg said NATO had yet to see signs on the ground to back up the Russian claims, though there are indications from Moscow that it is willing to continue dialogue and give some room for hope that the crisis can be averted.
“There are signs from Moscow that diplomacy should continue, this gives grounds for cautious optimism. But so far, we have not seen any sign of de-escalation on the ground,” Stoltenberg told journalists in Brussels on February 15.
Russia’s Defense Ministry made the announcement on the withdrawal of an unspecified number of troops amid the latest Western diplomatic effort toward easing tensions sparked by Moscow’s buildup of an estimate 130,000 soldiers and military equipment in the border area.
Ahead of the statement, the United States had said its intelligence indicated February 16 as a possible date for Russian military action against Ukraine.
U.S. President Joe Biden will speak with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on February 15, U.S. media quoted administration officials as saying. They gave no further details.
The reports came as Reuters reported that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had spoken to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier in the day.
In London, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that while Britain too saw signs of a diplomatic opening with Russia over Ukraine, the latest intelligence was still not encouraging.
“Going into today clearly there are signs of a diplomatic opening, there always has been an opportunity to talk, there are grounds for a conversation about Ukraine, with Ukraine — and that’s good. We are seeing Russian openness to conversations,” Johnson told reporters.
“On the other hand, the intelligence that we’re seeing today is still not encouraging,” he said.
WATCH: U.K. Ambassador to Kyiv Melinda Simmons says she is not sure Russia’s top officials entirely understand the costs of a potential military invasion of Ukraine.
Putin said Russia “of course” did not want to see the outbreak of war in Europe but that Moscow was also disappointed that there had not been a constructive response to Russia’s demands on security guarantees, especially with regard to Ukraine being prohibited from joining NATO.
“We are ready to work further together. We are ready to go down the negotiations track,” he said of continued dialogue on missiles and other security issues with the West.
Putin also said that Russian-German energy cooperation was a priority for Moscow, which views Berlin as one of its main partners, especially with Nord Stream 2, the new pipeline built to bring natural gas from Russia to Germany that is awaiting final regulatory approval from German authorities.
U.S. President Joe Biden last week vowed to “bring an end” to the pipeline if Russia invades, but Scholz did not go as far in his comments after he met Biden, saying only that Germany and the United States would act together in their response to an invasion.
Scholz’s trip to the Russian capital follows similar trips for crisis talks last week by French President Emmanuel Macron and two British ministers.
Scholz, who met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on February 14 in Kyiv, had urged Russia to take immediate steps toward reducing the tensions triggered by the buildup of troops and military hardware near the border with Ukraine.
Russia has insisted it has no plan to invade but at the same time has said it wants guarantees on European security issues, including a commitment by NATO not to expand to countries like Ukraine, or another former Soviet republic, Georgia.
However, Russia’s envoy to the European Union warned on February 15 that Moscow could invade Ukraine if “provoked” by an attack on Russian citizens inside the country.
“We will not invade Ukraine unless we are provoked to do that,” Vladimir Chizhov was quoted as saying by Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency.
“If the Ukrainians launch an attack against Russia, you shouldn’t be surprised if we counterattack. Or, if they start blatantly killing Russian citizens anywhere — the Donbas or wherever,” he said, referring to the eastern Ukrainian region controlled by Moscow-backed separatists who have been fighting Ukrainian government forces since April 2014.
Chizhov’s comments follow repeated warnings by Washington that Russia is planning so-called “false flag” incidents as a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine.
The U.S. warnings were echoed by Britain’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who said on February 15 that an imminent invasion of Ukraine remained very probable, and Russian troops could reach Kyiv “very, very quickly.”
Live Briefing: Ukraine In The Crosshairs
Check out RFE/RL’s new live briefing on the massive buildup of Russian forces near Ukraine’s border and the diplomacy under way to prevent a possible invasion. Ukraine In The Crosshairs presents the latest developments and analysis, updated throughout the day.
“It is still the case that an invasion could be imminent, and it is highly likely,” she said.
Amid U.S. warnings of a possible imminent Russian invasion, Zelenskiy decreed February 16 a day of unity.
U.S. intelligence has reportedly indicated February 16 as a possible date for Russian military action.
“We are told that February 16 will be the day of the invasion, we will make it the day of unity,” Zelenskiy said in a video on the evening of February 14.
Ukrainians are expected to raise flags across the country and sing the anthem at 10 a.m. local time. “Let’s show the whole world our unity,” Zelenskiy said.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre on February 14 repeated a warning that Russia could launch an attack on Ukraine “at any time, including this week.” Jean-Pierre told reporters that the United States is “clear-eyed” about the situation on the ground.
