• Russian President Putin mentioned he was ready for compromises over the Ukraine standoff. 
• Says will look into the proposals of French chief Macron. 
• Putin appreciated Macron’s concepts and proposals. 

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned he was ready for compromise and would have a look at proposals put ahead by French chief Emmanuel Macron in talks on Monday, whereas nonetheless blaming the West for elevating tensions over Ukraine.

Rising from practically 5 hours of talks within the Kremlin, the 2 leaders voiced hope {that a} answer could possibly be discovered to the worst disaster between Russia and the West for the reason that finish of the Chilly Warfare.

Repeatedly thanking Macron for coming to Moscow, Putin mentioned at a joint press convention that the French chief had offered a number of concepts value finding out.

“A number of his ideas, proposals… are possible as a basis for further steps,” Putin mentioned, including: “We will do everything to find compromises that suit everyone.”

He didn’t present any particulars however mentioned the 2 leaders would converse by cellphone after Macron meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday.

Macron mentioned he made proposals of “concrete security guarantees” and that Putin had “assured me of his readiness to engage”.

The French presidency mentioned the proposals embody an enterprise from either side to not take any new army motion, the launching of a brand new strategic dialogue and efforts to revive the Ukrainian peace course of.

Putin once more denied that Russia was appearing aggressively, regardless of Western fears of a potential invasion of Ukraine after Russia amassed tens of hundreds of its troops on its borders.

“It is not us who are moving towards NATO’s borders,” he mentioned, in reference to alliance deployments in jap Europe.

– Biden threatens fuel pipeline –

The assembly in Moscow got here at first of every week of intense diplomacy over the Ukraine disaster, with US President Joe Biden additionally internet hosting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington on Monday.

Biden made a categorical vow on the talks to close down the controversial Nord Stream 2 fuel pipeline from Russia to Europe if Moscow launches an invasion.

“If Russia invades — that means tanks or troops crossing the border of Ukraine, again — then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2,” Biden advised a joint White Home information convention with Scholz, following bilateral talks within the Oval Workplace.

“I promise you,” Biden mentioned, “we will bring an end to it.”

US officers say Moscow has assembled 110,000 troops close to the border with Ukraine and is on observe to amass a big sufficient pressure — some 150,000 troopers — for a full-scale invasion by mid-February.

Russia insists it has no plans to assault and has as an alternative put ahead its personal calls for for safety ensures.

It’s demanding a everlasting ban on Ukraine, a former Soviet republic, becoming a member of the US-led alliance and that the bloc roll again its army presence in jap Europe.

Macron, whose nation at the moment heads the European Union has tried to place himself as the important thing EU determine in negotiations with Russia.

– UK, German troops to deploy –

Germany’s new authorities has come underneath criticism from Ukraine and a few in the USA over accusations that it’s not totally participating with US-led efforts to push again in opposition to Russian army strain on Ukraine.

However Biden and Scholz in Washington insisted there have been no disagreements on easy methods to deal with Moscow.

“We’re working in lockstep to further deter Russian aggression in Europe,” Biden mentioned within the White Home’s Oval Workplace.

“We are close allies and we act in a coordinated and united way, when it comes to responding to the current crises,” Scholz advised reporters earlier Monday, saying Russia would pay “a very high price” if it assaults Ukraine.

Biden has reacted to the Russian troop build-up by providing 3,000 American forces to bolster NATO’s jap flank, with a batch of the troops arriving in Poland on Sunday.

Britain mentioned Monday that 350 extra British troops could be despatched to the Polish border and Germany introduced that one other 350 of its troopers would go to Lithuania.

Whereas Scholz is in Washington, his international minister, Annalena Baerbock, was in Kyiv alongside with her Czech, Slovak and Austrian counterparts for a two-day go to.

Scholz himself will probably be in Moscow and Kyiv subsequent week for talks with Putin and Zelensky.

Visits to Moscow by the British international and defence secretaries are additionally anticipated on the finish of this week.