Prepared for military reply, Russia's Vladimir Putin warns West & Nato

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Russia was prepared to take military steps in response to “unfriendly” Western actions over the Ukraine conflict, in a sharp escalation of rhetoric.

He also called for “serious negotiations” on Russian security demands put to the United States and Nato during his first call with new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who in turn called for “de-escalation”.

Meanwhile, Russian and US negotiators will sit down for talks early next year to discuss Moscow’s demand for Western guarantees precluding Nato’s expansion to Ukraine, Russia’s top diplomat said on Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia in January will also start separate talks with Nato to discuss the issue, adding that separate negotiations under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will also be held.

The Russian president has for weeks accused the United States and the Washington-led Nato military alliance of stoking tensions near Moscow’s borders.

Putin told defence ministry officials that if the West continued its “obviously aggressive stance” Russia would take “appropriate retaliatory military-technical measures”. Putin has denied having plans to launch an attack but has described Nato’s expansion to Ukraine and weapons deployment of the alliance weapons there as a “red line.”