Putin Call With Biden, Macron Fails to Inspire Confidence in De-Escalation

LOCAL NEWS

• Putin held a phone call with Biden & Macron on Saturday to discuss Ukraine. Putin said the West hasn’t done enough to push Ukraine to implement the Minsk agreements and said Russia’s response to the US/NATO on its security proposals would come shortly.
  • Macron said after the talks that he does not believe Russia is preparing an offensive against Ukraine. Meanwhile the Pentagon sad tensions are not moving in the right direction.
  • Both leaders agreed on pursuing diplomacy on the issue, however. Following this call, Putin spoke with Lukashenko about the West and deepening cooperation with Belarus - Tass
• Kiev requests meeting with Russia & Vienna document signatories within 48 hours on Sunday to discuss the movement of troops along its borders. Says Russia failed to respond to its request under the Vienna document and the meeting was the next step - Tass
• US, UK & German staff continued to withdraw from Ukraine over the weekend while more US military aid arrived just outside Kiev to bolster support without physically deploying troops.
  • Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK also tried to soothe tensions after Ben Wallace said the situation “has a whiff of Munich” in reference to failed diplomacy in WW2. Uk’s Johnson said he was planning talks with NATO allies to bring Russia back from the brink of war – Daily Mail
• State Duma likely won’t send an appeal to President Putin to immediately recognize separatists entities in eastern Ukraine its discussions today, Vedomosti reports, citing two unidentified people familiar with discussions. Preferable option at the moment is to send the draft resolution to government agencies, including the Foreign Ministry, for feedback.