Good morning. We’re covering an ominous
outcome of talks with Russia and a stinging rebuke to Prince Andrew.
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| Russian tanks near the border with Ukraine on Wednesday.Associated Press |
Russia
warns it may abandon diplomacy
Russian officials signaled yesterday
that they
might abandon diplomatic efforts to resolve the security crisis surrounding
Ukraine, bringing a whirlwind week of talks to an ominous end and deflating
hopes that negotiators could move to ease tensions in Eastern Europe. Russia’s
next move will most likely be up to its president, Vladimir Putin.
Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign
minister, said the West’s current approach led only to a “dead end.” Michael
Carpenter, the U.S. official present at the negotiations, also depicted the two
sides as engaged in a standoff with no clear resolution. Ukraine said Russia’s
massing of troops needed to be reversed.
Jake Sullivan, President Biden’s
national security adviser, said that the U.S. was prepared to talk further,
especially about missile deployments and military exercises in Europe, but was
also preparing to respond “to a further Russian invasion of Ukraine.” “We have
been very clear with Russia on the costs and consequences of further military
action or destabilization,” he said. “So we’re ready either way.”
