Deputy Secretary of State for the United States (US) Victoria Nuland
announced that the US had prepared 18 scenarios to respond to the threat
of Russian "aggression" against Ukraine.
Nuland said, “Conversations between the US and its allies are about
inflicting very sharp pain very quickly if Russia makes a move of any
kind.”
Russia is currently considering various scenarios of its own in case of
further escalation of Ukraine unexpectedly.
However, the Kremlin admits it has fewer scenarios than Deputy Foreign
Minister Nuland, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov.
“Of course, in the context of the current situation, Russia is thinking
about how to ensure its own security. We know that Nuland has 18
scenarios," Peskov said.
Peskov further explained, “We are considering different scenarios. We
believe that there should be far fewer of them because the formulation of
the question fits us perfectly. It doesn't need to be complicated, because
it's not that complicated. The question is very direct and very specific."
"We hope, as our American interlocutors have said, that something can be
formulated in writing this week by the US side," Peskov added.
Asked to comment on the possible deployment of Russian missiles in Cuba or
Venezuela in response to the deployment of US missiles in Europe, the
Kremlin spokesman reminded those countries of sovereignty.
"In Latin America and so on: there we are still talking about sovereign
states, don't forget this," Peskov said.
US Undersecretary of State Nuland told the Financial Times on Saturday
(15/1/2022) that Washington has drawn up more than a dozen possible
options for responding to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The high-ranking US diplomat did not specify exactly what this option
would be, saying only the conversation with his ally was about,
"Inflicting very sharp pain very quickly on Moscow."
Tensions between Russia and NATO continued to rise after the Ukraine
crisis in 2014, in which Western-backed forces toppled the elected
government in Kiev, pushed Crimea to secede and rejoin Russia, and sparked
civil conflict in eastern Ukraine.
In the spring of 2021 and again in the fall and winter of the same year,
Western officials and media accused Russia of engaging in military
build-up on Ukraine's borders in preparation for a possible attack.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has sparked debate in various circles.
Meanwhile, Moscow has firmly said that it has rejected all the
accusations. In fact, Russia has accused the West of artificially
increasing tensions. Russia has also signaled it will not stand by if Kiev
tries to resolve the frozen civil conflict in eastern Ukraine by force.
Russian diplomats met their US and NATO counterparts last week to discuss
a series of security proposals put forward by Moscow designed to ease
tensions. The proposal calls on both sides to refrain from deploying
troops, missile systems, aircraft and warships in areas where they could
be perceived as a threat to the other.
Not only that, Washington and the Western bloc were also asked to
immediately stop NATO's eastward expansion and cancel plans to include
Ukraine or other countries of the former Soviet Union into the alliance.
Then, in further discussions on the proposal, the West was also asked to
limit the deployment of foreign troops and weapons in its eastern region
near Russia. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has rejected suggestions that the
alliance's "Open Door" policy could be slammed by Russia.
