Washington Alerts 8,500 Troops To Send To Europe, Kremlin: US Raises Tensions

Juru bicara Kremlin Dimitry Peskov. (Wikimedia Commons/Kremlin.ru/Press Service of the President of Russia)

JAKARTA - Russia said on Tuesday it was watching with great concern after the United States put 8,500 troops on alert to be ready to deploy to Europe, in case of an escalation in the Ukraine crisis.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Washington of stoking tensions in Ukraine, repeating Moscow's assertion that the crisis was driven by US and NATO actions, rather than by the increase in tens of thousands of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border.

"The United States is increasing tensions. We watch this US action with great concern," Peskov quoted The Moscow Times as saying from AFP January 25.

Western powers accuse Russia of plotting a new attack on Ukraine, which it invaded in 2014. Moscow denies any such plans, but says it can take unspecified military action unless demands are met, including a NATO pledge never to recognize Kyiv.

NATO said on Monday it was putting troops on alert and strengthening eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets. Russia denounced the move as Western "hysteria".

"Regarding specific actions, we are seeing statements by the North Atlantic Alliance about strengthening, withdrawing forces and resources to the east side. All this leads to the fact that tensions are increasing," Peskov said.

Peskov said President Vladimir Putin would speak this week with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, who also plans to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Russia is awaiting a written US response this week to a list of security demands it has filed, some of which Washington has rejected as non-starters.

However, Peskov said the US troop warning did not affect the negotiations because the current phase of talks had concluded.