Kremlin Voices Concern Over US Troop Deployments

LOCAL NEWS

• Kremlin Spox says US troop deployments in Europe prove Russia has a reason to be worried and that the US id de facto continuing to pump up tensions in the region.
  • Follows US promises to boost troop deployments in Poland and Romania by 3,000 total.
• German Chancellor Scholz says he intends to meet with Putin in the near future, noting that a well-coordinated approach is needed towards the EU & NATO.
  • Scholz is set to meet Biden on 7 Feb to discuss joint efforts to deter Russian aggression against Ukraine
• US State Dept Spox Ned Price says the US is ready to conduct a dialogue with Russia on security without preconditions, however, in the context of tensions around Ukraine, this process will not have an effect.
• Price notes that after receiving a response from Russia, diplomatic contacts of the parties may still take place, but it is not clear in what format and within what time frame.
  • "If we see a de-escalation from Russia, we will of course analyze it and reconsider the alignment of our forces,"
• Russian Ambassador Antonov says NATO is strengthening its security by weakening Russia, an approach that Russia cannot agree on. Says US responses have been vague, focussing on secondary issues, which Putin has taken note of.
  • Antonov says that an internal process is still underway and Putin will choose how to respond once he receives the panel’s advice on next steps

Data:

• 0600GMT: Markit PMI Services: 49.8 vs 49.5 exp & 49.5 prior
• 0600GMT: Markit PMI Composite: 50.3 vs 50.2 prior