The meeting between the presidents of the US and Russia is to be prepared by the respective foreign ministers, Antony Blinken and Sergey Lavrov, at their meeting on Thursday. Accordingly, following the direct talks between Biden and Putin, Macron proposed a summit meeting “with all those involved” in the conflict. It is supposed to be about “security and strategic stability in Europe”. The West is concerned about a possible Russian attack on the neighboring country with a Russian troop concentration on the border with Ukraine. Putin rejects this.
According to media reports, the US government also has intelligence information that Moscow is said to have given its military orders on the border with Ukraine invasion plans to continue. This information from last week is said to have prompted US President Joe Biden to state on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin made the decision to attack, the New York Times and the CBS broadcaster reported on Sunday, citing officials.
However, the order does not mean that an invasion is certain, as Putin can always change his mind. The intelligence information is also said to show that 40 to 50 percent of the more than 150,000 Russian soldiers on the Ukrainian border have gone into battle formation and could launch an attack within days, the New York Times wrote. Some of the troops are said to be Russian reservists who could form an occupation force after an invasion. According to the newspaper, the officials did not give any further details about the information, only that it was trustworthy.
US President Biden met with his National Security Council on Sunday, according to the White House. The latest developments in connection with Russia’s military build-up on the border with Ukraine were discussed, it said. The White House did not provide any further information about the meeting. Biden, who is currently in the White House, announced on Sunday afternoon (local time) that he would be going to the US state of Delaware, where his family lives. Only a short time later he surprisingly changed his plans again and now wanted to stay in the US capital Washington after all. The White House did not give any reasons for this.
Macron had two extensive phone calls with Putin on Sunday and also exchanged views with Biden and other allies. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Macron jointly stated in their statement that Putin must withdraw his troops from the Ukrainian border and end his threats.
