The West-Russia bradyfer on the Ukrainian front is in full swing. While Moscow, Kiev, Paris and Berlin have pledged to maintain a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, the possibility of a fire cannot be ruled out. For its part, NATO sent its message: "we hope for the best, we prepare for the worst." This is a message that does not allow complacency.
The climate of uncertainty also intensified the recommendation of the American embassy in Kiev to the American citizens to leave Ukraine, because the situation is considered unpredictable. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has sent written answers to Russia's concerns over its national security over the Atlantic Alliance.
Washington has rejected Moscow's request to withdraw its troops from Ukraine, while refusing to pledge that NATO will not expand into the country, moving closer to the Russian capital. According to Anthony Blinken, the American answers set a diplomatic path forward, but in fact confirm the impasse.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said he has no plans to release US answers. He promised, however, that the substance and content of Washington's reaction would be made public.
At the same time, the concentration of Russian troops near the border with Ukraine continues, both on the Russian side and on the Belarusian side. For the second case under the pretext of joint exercises. However, the transfer of equipment from NATO countries to Ukraine continues, a fact that escalates the tension.
At the same time, President Biden himself threatened to impose severe sanctions, even on President Putin himself, in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is noteworthy, however, that the West avoids saying that Moscow is committed not to attack Ukraine unless NATO expands into that country.
But the US president's threat to impose personal sanctions on his Russian counterpart is also unprecedented. Vladimir Putin is responding to these threats, as well as the Atlantic Alliance's refusal to pledge not to make Ukraine a member state, by transporting military units and heavy weapons systems by train, and in recent times this transfer has been taking place overnight.
According to all indications, the Russian forces that have been concentrated on the border with Ukraine, but also those that have been transferred to Belarus for joint exercises, have an offensive line. It should be noted that Belarus can serve as a base for an attack on Kiev, which is only 50 km from the border.
Although everyone hopes that in the end diplomacy will prevail, at the point where things have reached, there is no way out. The message sent by President Putin is clear: If NATO expands into Ukraine, Russian forces will intervene. Given that they have a very large military advantage because of their geography, it is likely that Washington will avoid giving the green light to Ukraine's accession, but leave open the possibility of this happening in the future.
At present, the USA, Britain and the Baltic States are the first to drag the dance, into which all Western countries are slowly but steadily entering. Even Italy, which has remained silent, has said it will "keep its NATO commitments." This, of course, concerns Greece, not only because it is a member of the Atlantic Alliance, but also because in the event of a conflict it will inevitably become a target, due to the American bases in Souda, Larissa and Alexandroupolis.
Source: Protothema.gr