According to russian television (RT) reported on the 18th, Russian Kremlin spokesman Peskov said that Russia will never consider withdrawing missiles from the kaliningrad oceous enclave bordering Poland in the west.
Screenshot of the Russian RT website report
In an interview with CNN on the 16th, Peskov was asked about the current status of negotiations between Russia, the United States and NATO on European security, and whether Moscow would consider withdrawing the Iskander short-range ballistic missile from Kaliningrad Oblast to ease tensions.
In response, he replied, "Russia will never discuss with anyone the withdrawal of any missiles and weapons from Kaliningrad, because Kaliningrad is Russian territory." With all due respect, we will never tolerate any demand that we do this or that on our own territory. ”
Kegong spokesman Peskov Photo source: Otasha
CNN also asked Peskov about some of the other "requests" that former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul recently tweeted. In addition to the withdrawal of missiles from Kaliningrad, these "demands" include the withdrawal of troops from neighboring countries, the "return" of Crimea to Ukraine, and the cessation of support for civilian armed forces in Eastern Ukraine. Western countries accuse Russia of supporting civilian armed forces in eastern Ukraine, but Moscow denies it.
Peskov replied, "We have Russian peacekeepers in multiple regions, and the current situation is still very, very fragile, and the withdrawal of the Russians could trigger a new crisis." "We don't know what the outcome will be," he stressed, but that if Russia withdraws, a full-blown conflict could re-emerge.
Before Peskov was interviewed by CNN, Russia held security talks with the United States and NATO last week to discuss the continuing tensions related to Ukraine. Russia has asked the U.S.-led NATO to make a written pledge not to expand eastward to Ukraine, but Western leaders say that is impossible.
Russian soldiers Russian news agency information chart
Meanwhile, U.S. intelligence services have been warning for months that they fear Russia is about to "invade" neighboring countries, which the Kremlin dismisses as misinformation. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said on the 13th that he expects Western countries to make a written response to Russia's security proposal within a week.
In an interview on the 16th, Peskov insisted that no Russian soldiers were fighting in Ukraine, but there were troops stationed in Russia near the border between the two countries. He said it was "crazy" for either side to threaten military action and insisted that Russia must be prepared to "strike back" if the West does not heed Russia's concerns. (Editor: HHJ)