(PresidentialHill.com)- The ongoing crisis over Ukraine has put a strain on US/Russian relations, according to the Kremlin.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Russian news agency, RIA this week that the two nations are engaging in dialogue which is an improvement from a couple of years ago when there were “no such contacts whatsoever.” At the same time, Peskov said, “we are at a very, very low point.” So low, “they are actually lying on the floor.”
Despite the uptick in bilateral dialogue between the two countries, Washington’s increased military presence in Europe along with the Biden administration’s claims that Putin would be ordering the invasion any day have irked Moscow.
According to Peskov, after US officials claimed Putin would give the order to invade as early as this week, President Putin jokingly asked the Kremlin to find out from the US exactly what time he planned to do this.
On her Telegram channel on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova asked the US and British news outlets who reported that Putin was giving the order to invade if they would publish the complete schedule of invasions so she could plan her vacation accordingly.
During their phone call on Saturday, President Biden warned Putin of “swift and severe costs” if Russia invades Ukraine. He suggested such an invasion would “diminish Russia’s standing” in the world. But how likely is it that Vladimir Putin is concerned about Russia’s standing in the world?
Russia has aligned itself with China. It is doubtful that Biden’s warnings over Russia’s standing would have much impact on Putin.
This week, Russia announced it beginning a drawdown of troops from the Ukraine border. However, both NATO and the United States dispute this claim.
While in Brussels on Thursday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Russia is continuing to move troops closer to the border and was stocking up on blood supplies in anticipation of casualties.
But Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Thursday that troops were being moved hundreds of miles away from the Ukraine border areas now that their military exercises have ended.
Dmitri Peskov insisted that the withdrawal is underway, but added the process takes time. “They cannot just get lifted in the air and fly away.”
