(News) Biden: The US is willing to seal security agreements with Russia in writing

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The US president said he had conveyed to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, his firm will to bet on diplomacy at the highest level.

US President Joe Biden declared on Tuesday that Washington is willing to seal security agreements with Russia in writing if they are reached.

The US president said he had conveyed to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, his firm will to bet on diplomacy at the highest level and stressed his willingness to achieve "a diplomatic commitment with Russia" with the aim of "improving stability and security throughout Europe.

"We are not looking for a direct confrontation with Russia. Although I have made it clear that if Russia attacks Americans in Ukraine, we will respond with force," Biden said at the White House in an appearance dedicated to tensions in Ukraine. Likewise, the president specified that the US military will not be involved on the ground in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"We are not targeting the people of Russia. We are not seeking to destabilize Russia. To the citizens of Russia I say: you are not our enemy. And I don't think you want a bloody and destructive war against Ukraine," he said.

The White House tenant also indicated that neither Washington nor NATO represent "a threat to Russia", while stressing that they have no plans to place missiles in Ukraine.

Unverified fallback
Regarding the withdrawal of some units of the Russian Armed Forces at the end of their exercises in border areas with Ukraine, which was announced on Tuesday by the Russian Ministry of Defense, Biden said that the US has not yet verified this information.

"Our analysts indicate that [Russian troops] remain in a very threatening position... An invasion remains clearly possible," he said.

On Tuesday, Russia's Southern and Western Military Districts began sending their troops to their home garrisons, after concluding their drills. At the same time, the country's Armed Forces continue to develop "a series of large-scale operational training activities." From the Ministry of Defense they assured that all the units will return to their barracks once the maneuvers are over.

Nord Stream 2 and other possible sanctions
Regarding the possible response of the West in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, Biden assured that Washington and its allies would activate sanctions in terms of finances and export control, while preventing the operation of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

In particular, the president promised that, if the sanctions were applied, the US would exert "strong pressure" on Russia's main financial institutions and key industrial sectors.

However, the tenant of the White House admitted that, if the planned sanctions are imposed, this would lead to a rise in fuel prices in his own country.

"I'm not going to pretend this is painless. It could have an impact on energy prices. So we're taking active steps to relieve pressure on our energy markets and counter rising prices," he stressed.

Biden made the comments hours after Putin underlined Moscow's willingness to engage in dialogue with Washington and NATO on its security proposals. However, the Russian president reiterated that Russia and its counterparts do not agree on some of the key points, such as the issue of Ukraine's accession to the bloc.

On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that although the responses of NATO and the United States to the proposals on security guarantees do not satisfy Russia, there is still a possibility of reaching an agreement.
At the same time, alarmism about a supposed Russian invasion is reduced. Ukraine's Defense Minister, Alexei Reznikov, on Monday ruled out the need to impose martial law in the country and stressed that the situation is not alarming, so there is no need to "pack your bags." Hours earlier, President Vladimir Zelensky urged all officials who rushed to leave the country to return within 24 hours.
Speculation about a supposed Russian invasion of Ukraine has been intensifying for months in the West. Russia, in turn, has repeatedly dismissed such accusations as false and unfounded.
The spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zajárova, described this Monday Bloomberg as a "massive disinformation medium" after she published a report last Friday in which he asserted that Russia could invade Ukraine on February 15. "There are a couple of hours left to repent, before Bloomberg turns into a pumpkin and those who used it for war propaganda turn into rats," she said.

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