Putin: Moscow will consider several alternatives if West rejects proposals on Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday he would consider a range of alternatives if the West fails to meet what he calls security guarantees.

Earlier this month, Moscow presented two draft security documents, demanding that NATO not allow Ukraine to join the alliance, as well as other former Soviet countries, and to withdraw its military troops from Central and Eastern Europe.

Mr. Putin has urged the West to move quickly to meet the demands, warning that Moscow will take "appropriate military-technical measures" if the West, as he said, continues its aggressive course on Russia's doorstep.

Asked to specify what this was about, Mr. Putin said that the alternatives "could be different," adding that this "will depend on the proposals that Russian military experts will present."

The US and its allies have refused to offer Russia the guarantees it seeks over Ukraine, citing NATO's principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. However, the West has agreed to start talks with Russia next month to discuss its concerns.

According to Mr. Putin, the talks with the US will be held in Geneva. In parallel, negotiations between Russia and NATO are also expected to take place, and broader discussions are expected within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

In a speech broadcast on Sunday, President Putin said Russia presented the demands in the hope of a constructive response from the West.

He reaffirmed that Ukraine's NATO membership or the deployment of alliance weapons in the country is a red line for Moscow, and that it would not allow the West to cross it.

The Kremlin presented its demands amid tensions over a recent increase in Russian military presence near Ukraine that has fueled Western fears of a possible attack. President Joe Biden warned Mr. Putin during a video call earlier this month that Russia would face “serious consequences” if it attacked Ukraine.

Russia has denied any such intention and accused Ukraine of drawing up plans to try to regain control of territories held by Moscow-backed rebels by force. Ukraine has rejected these claims.

Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula, a territory of Ukraine, in 2014. Over seven years of fighting have killed over 14,000 people and devastated Ukraine's industrial heartland, known as Donbass.