Putin Ponders Options As West Nixes His Demands On Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday he would ponder a slew of options if the West failed to meet his push for security guarantees precluding NATO's expansion to Ukraine, Euronews and the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Photo Insert: Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that his next move will depend on the recommendations of the country's military.

Putin's security demands are the latest in a number of strongly-worded statements amid the tensions over a Russian troop build-up near Ukraine in recent weeks that has fueled Western fears of a possible invasion of Russia’s western neighbor.

Earlier this month, Moscow submitted draft security documents demanding that NATO deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back its military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe.

Putin has urged the West to move quickly to meet the demands, warning that Moscow will have to take “adequate military-technical measures” if the West continues its “aggressive” course “on the threshold of our home.”

Asked to specify what such Moscow's response could be, he said in comments aired by Russian state TV Sunday that “it could be diverse,” adding without elaboration that “it will depend on what proposals our military experts submit to me.”

The US and its allies have refused to offer Russia the kind of guarantee on Ukraine that Putin wants, citing NATO’s principle that membership is open to any qualifying country.

They agreed, however, to launch security talks with Russia next month to discuss its concerns. Putin said the talks with the US will be held in Geneva.

In parallel, negotiations are also set to be held between Russia and NATO, and broader discussions are expected under the aegis of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

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