By Daniel DePetris
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday moved Russia troops into the breakaway eastern Ukrainian territories of Donetsk and Luhansk after recognizing them as independent states on Monday and slamming Ukraine as illegitimately taken from Russia. With as many as 190,000 Russian troops now positioned at or over the border and the Russian parliament granting Putin the power to use troops abroad, the Kremlin has laid the groundwork for large-scale military action.
Meanwhile, the diplomatic track is holding on by a thread. Russia remains unimpressed with U.S. security proposals, even as it leaves the door open for more discussions. A rumored meeting between President Joe Biden and Putin hangs in the balance
Predictably, the U.S. responded to Russia’s moves Tuesday by continuing its strategy of coercion and deterrence to discourage Russia from conducting an all-out invasion: announcing further economic sanctions on Moscow, including certain Russian banks, and additional defensive arms for Kyiv.
This piece was originally published in NBC News on February 22, 2022. Read more HERE.