Ukraine and Russia could possibly sign a deal that would stop an invasion and potentially ease tension between Russia and the West.
What’s happening: French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that he thinks a deal could happen between Ukraine and Russia soon, which would stop a full-scale war from breaking out, BBC News reports.
- Macron told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper that Russia was not focused on “Ukraine, but a clarification of the rules ... with Nato and the EU.”
- Macron said that Russia has the right to raise security concerns.
What he said: “We must protect our European brothers by proposing a new balance capable of preserving their sovereignty and peace,” Macron said.
- “This must be done while respecting Russia and understanding the contemporary traumas of this great people and great nation.”
State of play: Tension has been building between Russia and the West since Russia set up military camps and equipment on the border of Ukraine.
- The U.S. said it would deploy thousands of its troops to Eastern Europe, specifically putting troops in Romania, Germany and Poland, as I reported for the Deseret News.
- Russia said this move by the U.S. was an attempt to build tension between Ukraine and Russia, according to BBC News.
- Russia and the United States have been trading letters about what Russia’s demands are in order to stop an invasion.
The bigger picture: Russia has currently enough military troops to “seize any city” in Ukraine, the country’s former defense minister said, according to Business Insider.
- However, Russia does not have enough soldiers for full occupation of the country.