US allies in the EU and NATO have supported the findings of US intelligence that Russia may invade Ukraine. About it writes Financial Times with reference to sources.
The interlocutors of the publication said that the American side in early November, before the NATO summit, provided a wide amount of intelligence. Prior to that, some EU countries doubted the credibility of Washington’s evidence about the possible introduction of Russian troops into Ukraine. The Financial Times writes that the information provided about the concentration of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border was able to change the opinion of the allies.
A White House spokesman said Moscow could have planned an invasion as early as 2022. At the same time, the Russian side can engage in the offensive half of the military units that are now located near the border with Ukraine.
President of the U.S.A Joe Biden December 7 in a video call with the President of Russia Vladimir Putin intends to warn the Kremlin against an attack on Ukraine. Biden will also inform Putin of the full support of the EU and NATO countries’ response to Russia in the event of a possible invasion, writes Financial Times… Details of the sanctions against Moscow are still being discussed.
Russia is amassing troops at the borders of Ukraine and in the annexed Crimea
According to Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, during the second half of 2021, the command of the Russian armed forces conducted a series of large-scale command and staff exercises near the Ukrainian border.
President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky reported on November 10 that about 100 thousand Russian soldiers are near the border with Ukraine and that Western countries are transmitting to official Kiev information about the active movements of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border.
France and Germany On November 15, Russia was warned against harming the territorial integrity of Ukraine amid a large and unusual concentration of Russian troops near the Ukrainian borders. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated on November 16 that the alliance continues to work closely with Ukraine and provide it with political and practical support.
Russian authorities, including the president Vladimir Putin, deny aggressive intentions and themselves accuse the West of escalating tensions, pointing to large-scale exercises in the Black Sea. Putin also blamed Ukraine for the escalation due to its use of an attack drone against militants in the Donbas.
Edition Bloomberg previously reported that American intelligence shared intelligence with European allies, testifying to the probable preparation of Russia for a large-scale invasion of the unoccupied territory of Ukraine in several directions.
V Kremlin criticized such reports of Western media.
The last time Russian authorities pulled troops to the Ukrainian border was in early spring 2021. Kiev and Western countries saw this as a threat to Ukraine’s security. Moscow explained the transfer of troops by exercises and indicated that what was happening was not dangerous for other countries.
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