Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Washington and NATO were exacerbating tensions with “information hysteria” and “concrete action”, adding that there was a high risk that Ukrainian troops could attack Moscow-backed militants in eastern Ukraine.
“We live in an aggressive environment,” Peskov told reporters, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin was taking the necessary steps to protect the country.
NATO announced today that it is sending ships and destroyers to Eastern Europe to step up its defense due to tensions following the concentration of Russian forces on Ukraine’s borders.
“NATO will take all necessary measures to protect all Allies, including by strengthening the eastern part of the Alliance. We will always respond to the deterioration of our security environment,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Peskov said that Ukraine is preparing an offensive in Eastern Ukraine, and the risk of it happening is “very high, greater than before.”
“The Ukrainian authorities are concentrating large amounts of force and resources on the border with the self-proclaimed republics,” Peskov said.
Several rounds of talks between Russia and the West have so far helped to ease tensions.
NATO is preparing a proposal for further talks with Russia, which issued an ultimatum to the West in December calling for a halt to further NATO expansion to the east and the dismantling of Alliance infrastructure in the so-called new member states, restoring the status quo on 27 May 1997. NATO enlargement.
The United States and other NATO members have stated that these demands are unacceptable and not even negotiable, but have shown readiness to talk about arms control, missile deployment and confidence-building measures.
Peskov said Moscow was waiting for a written response from Washington and would then decide on the next steps.
