During a conversation in Moscow with French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised the soldiers deployed in Belarus would be withdrawn once their war-game drills were done.
The Russians Remain Quiet
Putin did not disclose the deal after a marathon, seven-hour session with his French colleague in the Kremlin on Monday, according to Reuters.
Moscow’s decision to pull out soldiers was revealed by a French source to the news service. Macron’s political risk of meeting with Putin, who has had a tense relationship with the West, may have paid off.
According to Dmitry Peskov, an adviser for Putin, there has never been any discussion of the soldiers remaining in the nation after the war simulations.
Will Putin and Macron do face painting after? #Ukraine #pointless #lipservice pic.twitter.com/hi9agrWzmZ
— Tarquin (@Tarquin_Helmet) February 7, 2022
“Nobody said Russian forces will remain on Belarusian soil; this has never been contemplated,” Peskov explained.
“We’re talking about alliance exercises; it’s anticipated that the forces will return to their regular deployment locations once these exercises are completed.”
The deployment sparked fears Russia was plotting a multi-front invasion of Ukraine.
More Threats from the West
The US and Germany declared their “joined strategy” to discourage further military aggression towards Ukraine. President Biden threatened if Russia invades Ukraine, the Nord Stream 2 project will be shut down.
On Monday, Biden invited Chancellor Olaf Sholz to the US government for his first official visit to Washington DC. They began discussing their nations’ “common ideals that determine how each of us conducts leadership,” according to Biden.
Both Biden, as well as Scholz, claimed they spent a considerable amount of time addressing the issue between Ukraine and Russia throughout a joint news conference on Monday.
Past US Envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley stated Monday that President Vladimir Putin and other authoritarian leaders realize Biden is “the weakest president in the history of the United States.”
Therefore, they believe “now is the moment to do it” if they want to take severe measures, like attacking Ukraine.
Maps of modern #Ukraine the former #SovietUnion. They will be useful references over the next few months. pic.twitter.com/Gbm09xU6io
— Michael DeMatteo (@MichaelDeMatteo) December 24, 2021
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said on “Special Report” that Biden should meet with Germany’s incoming left-leaning party leader, Olaf Scholz.
This is because Berlin is in a delicate diplomatic situation, due to its membership in NATO and Western democracy, as well as its reliance on Russian gas.
According to observers, Germany’s reduction in national nuclear energy output, coupled with Biden’s rejection of American energy projects, such as the Keystone XL pipeline, contributed to the difficult situation.
“None of this would be occurring if Afghanistan hadn’t been the problem it was,” Haley explained, “but what you’re witnessing is Russia and all the tyrants seeing an opportunity in the fact this is the worst president America will ever have.”
“If they were ever preparing to attack Ukraine, this would be the moment.”
