Biden Predicts Putin Will “Move In” on Ukraine, Promises Response
U.S. President Joe Biden said yesterday that Russian President Vladimir Putin will likely “move in” on Ukraine (White House) and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that any kind of Russian invasion would be met by a “swift, severe, and united response” from the United States and its allies (Politico). Separately, a State Department official said Washington greenlit transfers of U.S. weapons from Baltic countries to Ukraine (AFP)
Blinken Conducts Fresh Diplomatic Push in Europe Over Russia Tensions
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv today and called on Moscow to maintain “a diplomatic and peaceful path” amid mounting fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine (Agence France-Presse)
Former President Petro Poroshenko Returns to Ukraine to Face Treason Charges
Petro Poroshenko, former president of Ukraine, returned to his home country to face charges of treason (Washington Post)
Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators met with current President Volodymyr Zelensky to show solidarity with Ukraine and warn against Russian aggression (NBC)
Russia Calls for Response to Security Demands
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia wants a written response to its security demands from the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) by next week (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Meanwhile, a cyberattack displaying the message that Ukrainians should “be afraid and expect the worst” brought down several Ukrainian government websites last night (Reuters)
OSCE Envoys Meet in Vienna on Ukraine Crisis
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which includes Russia and the United States, met for the third time this week over defusing tensions between Moscow and Western countries (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
NATO, Russia Hold Talks Over Ukraine Impasse
Delegates from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries and Russia met in Brussels today over Russia’s military buildup near the Ukrainian border (RFE/RL)
U.S.-Russia Meeting in Geneva Kicks Off Week of Talks on Ukraine
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman began negotiations today with her counterpart, Sergei Ryabkov, over Russia’s military buildup on the Ukrainian border and Moscow’s security demands from Western countries (New York Times)
Before the meeting, both sides dismissed expectations of a breakthrough (Reuters)
NATO Foreign Ministers Meet About Ukraine Crisis
The foreign ministers of countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) met today to discuss the Russian military buildup on Ukraine’s border and their upcoming meeting with Russia, which is set for January 12 (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Biden Reaffirms U.S. Support of Zelensky
In a phone call yesterday, U.S. President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the United States “will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine,” following last week’s call between Biden and Russian President Vladmir Putin on the military crisis at Ukraine’s border (CNN)
Biden, Putin to Speak Today in Preparation for January Talks
U.S. President Joe Biden accepted a request from Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold a call today. It will be their second direct conversation in recent weeks as their envoys prepare for January 10 talks about the crisis at the Russia-Ukraine border (New York Times)
Ahead of today’s call, Putin said he believes “effective dialogue” with Washington is possible. An unnamed senior U.S. official told reporters that Biden will tell Putin the United States is ready for “a diplomatic path forward” (Agence France-Presse)
Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the Russia-Ukraine tensions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (State Department)
Blinken also spoke about the issue with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, affirming the consensus among U.S. allies and partners to impose “massive consequences and severe costs” if Russian aggression escalates (State Department)
U.S., Russia Set Security Talks Amid Ukraine Crisis
U.S. and Russian officials said the two countries will meet for talks on January 10 amid rising tensions on the Russia-Ukraine border. The White House said that Russian officials are then expected to meet with representatives from NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which includes the United States, that same week (Reuters)
The January 10 meeting will be held as part of the Strategic Security Dialogue that U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin launched during their June summit in Geneva. The dialogue’s focus is arms control agreements but is now expected to also cover the Russian military buildup near Ukraine’s border (Agence France-Presse)
Moscow has laid out security demands to Western countries that include the removal of NATO troops from Central and Eastern Europe (Associated Press)
Russia to Withdraw Ten Thousand Troops From Border With Ukraine
Russia’s defense ministry said it will withdraw ten thousand troops from near the border with Ukraine due to their completion of military drills. Kyiv estimates the number of Russian troops near the border to be around 104,000 (Agence France-Presse)
Ukrainian Government, Separatists Agree to Restore Cease-fire
Government forces and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine agreed to restore a 2020 cease-fire agreement, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said (Reuters)
Putin Threatens Military Action Ahead of Expected Talks With U.S., NATO Next Month
Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday threatened to “take appropriate retaliatory military-technical measures” if Western countries continue their “aggressive stance” regarding Russia’s military buildup on its border with Ukraine (Moscow Times)
High-ranking officials from the United States and Russia said the two countries will discuss Moscow’s demands for security guarantees during talks expected to begin next month. U.S. diplomat for the region Karen Donfried warned that some of Russia’s security demands were “unacceptable” (Agence France-Presse)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia will also hold separate talks with NATO countries (Associated Press)
Meanwhile, European gas prices hit a record high after a pipeline bringing Russian gas to Europe reversed its flow. Some Western politicians have accused Russia of withholding gas for political ends, a claim Moscow denies (Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Meets With Lithuanian, Polish Leaders
The meeting today comes after Ukraine pressed Western leaders for reassurances of support as tensions with Russia intensified last week (Presidency of Ukraine)
Lithuania has also called for a stronger Western response (France24)
Moscow Announces Demands Amid Tensions With NATO
Russia’s foreign ministry published a list of demands for NATO countries, which includes guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO and that NATO will abandon its military activities in Ukraine, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia (Moscow Times)
A Kremlin spokesperson said yesterday that Russia stands ready to negotiate (Associated Press)
Concerns over Russia’s military buildup near its border with Ukraine also prompted European Union (EU) leaders to threaten “massive consequences” in the case of “further aggression” (Politico)
As efforts to resolve the standoff continue, German regulators announced yesterday that a decision on whether to authorize the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany will not be made before July 2022. Some EU leaders have suggested blocking the pipeline as part of a potential sanctions package against Russia (Bloomberg)
G7 Officials Warn of ‘Massive Consequences’ if Russia Invades Ukraine
Foreign ministers from Group of Seven (G7) countries and the European Union’s foreign affairs chief issued a joint statement urging de-escalation after they met yesterday (Associated Press)
Biden Warns Putin of Consequences if Russia Invades Ukraine
On a call yesterday, U.S. President Joe Biden told Russian President Vladimir Putin that if Russia invaded Ukraine, the United States would impose “strong economic measures” and increase military support to Ukraine, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said (NPR)
A Kremlin statement after the call blamed the West for tensions around Ukraine and said Putin called for a guarantee that Ukraine would not join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). U.S. officials rejected this demand (New York Times)
Meanwhile, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a defense bill that included $300 million in U.S. military support for Ukraine (Reuters)
The United States has also sought Germany’s support for blocking Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline as part of a possible sanctions package (Financial Times)
Blinken to Meet Russia’s Lavrov in Stockholm Amid Mounting Ukraine Tensions
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets today with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, amid rising U.S.-Russia tensions over Russia’s military buildup at its border with Ukraine (France 24)
NATO Chief: Be ‘Prepared for the Worst’ As Russia-Ukraine Tensions Soar
At a meeting of NATO foreign ministers yesterday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for Russia to de-escalate following its military buildup in and around Ukraine and called for NATO countries to be “prepared for the worst” (Euronews, Associated Press)
The tensions have prompted Kyiv to fear that Moscow is preparing an invasion, and Ukraine’s foreign minister called on NATO to prepare sanctions to deter Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also called for direct talks with Moscow in a speech to lawmakers (Reuters)
Today, Russia accused Ukraine of deploying half its army to confront pro-Russia separatists (Reuters)
U.S. Shares Intel With European Allies About Russian Troop Buildup Near Ukraine
Washington believes Moscow could be considering invading Ukraine early next year, according to reports. European leaders are pursuing diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin to deter any possible invasion (Bloomberg)
NATO Calls for Russian Transparency Amid Troop Build-up Near Ukraine
Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg called on Russia to be transparent about its military plans, NATO officials have observed a “large and unusual” build-up of Russian troops and military equipment in the western part of the country near the border with Ukraine (BBC)
Ukraine’s Only Major English-Language Newspaper Shuts Down
The country’s only major English-language newspaper, the Kyiv Post, announced it is closing over what its staff called a dispute about editorial independence (Moscow Times)
Russia Reportedly Moving Troops Near Ukrainian Border
Russia has reportedly begun building up equipment and personnel near the border with Ukraine, prompting concerns from U.S. and European officials as the moves follow an increasingly hardline Russian position toward Ukraine (Washington Post)
Ukraine, United States to Conduct Joint Military Exercises
Ukraine and the United States will conduct joint military drills in Ukraine next week, following Russian and Belarusian war games that sparked concern among bordering countries (Reuters)