Ukraine crisis: Russia does not want war, Putin says after meeting Scholz:
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attend a press conference following their meeting on Ukraine and security in Moscow, February 15, 2022. -Copyright MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV / SPUTNIK / AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz met recently in Moscow. Shortly after this, Russia said that it has begun the withdrawal of its troops from the Ukrainian border and that it does not want a war around Ukraine. Putin says that he is ready for talks with the US and NATO regarding military transparency and missile deployments, though Russia has yet to receive positive answers to its security demands. Western leaders are skeptical as NATO’s chief says there have been no signs of de-escalation of Russia’s military on the ground. Though hesitant, the US and NATO have agreed to discuss some of the security measures that Russia proposed prior. Though the West has been accommodating, German Chancellor Scholz has made it clear that if Russia encroaches on Ukraine, “we are in a position any day to take the necessary decisions.”