President Joe Biden and other American officials expressed extreme caution Tuesday in response to reports that Russia is reducing military operations near Kyiv, implying that they are waiting for more concrete signs of de-escalation before judging Moscow's intentions.
"Let's see how things turn out. I don't make any assumptions about them until I see what they do. We'll see if they stick to their recommendations "Biden said at the White House, where officials were busy absorbing intelligence and reports from the ground, that Russian troops were shifting their attention away from Kiev and toward other parts of Ukraine.
During Russia's monthlong invasion of Ukraine, Biden's attitude of "don't trust, but verify" reflected strong American suspicion of Russian President Vladimir Putin's motivations. Despite the fact that the US has spotted Russian forces moving away from Kyiv, the Russian assault on Ukraine appears to be far from over.
Russia's activities were seen by some Western officials as merely a tactical exercise in the midst of a stalemate campaign in Ukraine. Officials from the US also stated that if the battle conditions permit, Russia may always reverse its position.Similarly, American officials appeared hesitant to express optimism about ongoing talks between Russia and Ukraine, which both parties said had made progress on Tuesday. Instead, Biden was focused on ensuring that the tough sanctions he enacted with European allies remained in place as the fighting continued.
Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Istanbul to start establishing the contours of a deal, including conversations over the status of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and Donbas, Russia's claim to independence in eastern Ukraine. The neutrality of Ukraine and international security assurances, as well as a possible meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, are all on the table.Since the beginning of the crisis, US officials have questioned Putin's commitment to negotiate a cease-fire. Some have also stated that they are unsure of Zelensky's ultimate goal in the negotiations and are suspicious of any compromises he may make.
Biden claimed he'd addressed the embryonic peace discussions with European leaders on a 53-minute phone call earlier in the day, while speaking in the East Room with the visiting Singaporean Prime Minister. There was a problem, he claimed ""Let's just see what they have to offer," responded the leaders in unison. We'll see what they're capable of."
"Meanwhile, the sanctions will remain in place. We'll keep providing the Ukrainian military with the tools they need to protect itself, and we'll keep a careful eye on events "Biden went on to say that
While there were evidence of troop movements, Biden's advisers agreed, adding that a new strategy did not appear to be in the works.
During a daily briefing, White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said, "We have no reason to believe that they've modified, that they've adjusted that plan." "Of course, we're still doing everything we can to make this decision cost us money."Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that the troop withdrawal might be "another way for Russia to deflect and fool people into thinking it's not doing what it's doing" while on a diplomatic visit to Morocco.
"If they think that subjugating 'just' the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine can succeed, then they are severely kidding themselves," Blinken said at a joint press conference with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.
While "limited numbers" of Russian military had pulled away from Kyiv "in the last day or so," the Pentagon warned that the city may still be subjected to "huge savagery."
"We believe this is a repositioning, not a true withdrawal," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said during a briefing. "We should all be prepared to watch for a big offensive on other areas of Ukraine." "No one should believe the Kremlin's current declaration that it will simply reduce military attacks near Kyiv or any reports that it will remove all of its forces."According to Kirby, the amount of Russian forces moving away from Kyiv is "not anywhere near the majority of what they have arrayed against Kyiv," and Russia continues to launch airstrikes on the Ukrainian capital "even today."
"This does not imply the threat to Kyiv has passed," he continued.
Moscow, for its part, was keen to underline that the deescalation plans it proposed near Kyiv were not a ceasefire. "We understand that there are people in Kyiv who need to make decisions, so we do not want to expose this city to additional risk," Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky told Russian state-owned channel RT. The first step agreed by Russia in talks with Ukraine "concerns a gradual military de-escalation in two main directions, Kyiv and Chernihiv," he added.
Biden's conversation with European friends occurred only days after he returned to Washington after a spur-of-the-moment trip to Belgium and Poland to reaffirm America's commitment to the region's security. He discussed the situation with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
Macron has served as a go-between for Putin and the West, and the two men chatted following Biden's group conversation on Tuesday. After Biden indicated in Warsaw that Putin "cannot remain in office," the French President urged against exacerbating the problem.That statement, which Biden attempted to explain Monday as an emotional reaction to meeting with Ukrainian refugees in Warsaw, did not come up during his Tuesday morning phone chat, according to the White House.
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