Changes

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reported that ten thousand NATO soldiers, including four thousand Americans, were already stationed and active in Ukraine. Drones and Stingers have been provided and used in eastern Ukraine.<ref>https://tass.com/world/1376191</ref>  In light of all the threatening activity on its border, on December 17, 2021 President Putin presented two treaties to be signed, one with the US<ref>https://mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/rso/nato/1790818/?lang=en</ref> the other with NATO,<ref>https://mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/rso/nato/1790803/?lang=en&clear_cache=Y</ref> the essence of which is that [[the West]] pledges not to threaten Russia's borders by offering membership to Ukraine or by arming and basing missiles in Ukraine.  Putin stated, "You are on our doorstep. We cannot back down."  Putin promised a response if the NATO powers do not stop their offensive actions. NATO General Secretary [[Jens Stoltenberg]] rejected them out of hand.  Russia's deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko said on December 18, 2021 that NATO has been living in a fantasy world and that Europeans must think about whether they mean to turn their continent into a field of military confrontation.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reported that ten thousand NATO soldiers, including four thousand Americans, were already stationed and active in Ukraine. Drones and Stingers have been provided and used in eastern Ukraine.<ref>https://tass.com/world/1376191</ref>  In light of all the threatening activity on its border, on December 17, 2021 President Putin presented two treaties to be signed, one with the US<ref>https://mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/rso/nato/1790818/?lang=en</ref> the other with NATO,<ref>https://mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/rso/nato/1790803/?lang=en&clear_cache=Y</ref> the essence of which is that [[the West]] pledges not to threaten Russia's borders by offering membership to Ukraine or by arming and basing missiles in Ukraine.  Putin stated, "You are on our doorstep. We cannot back down."  Putin promised a response if the NATO powers do not stop their offensive actions. NATO General Secretary [[Jens Stoltenberg]] rejected them out of hand.  Russia's deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko said on December 18, 2021 that NATO has been living in a fantasy world and that Europeans must think about whether they mean to turn their continent into a field of military confrontation.

Former U.S. ambassador to Russia Jack Matlock wrote in ''Krasno Analysis'' on December 14, 2021 that interference by the U.S. and its NATO allies in Ukraine's civil struggle has exacerbated the crisis within NATO and raised the specter a possible conflict between the nuclear powers.  Russia is extremely sensitive about foreign military activity adjacent to its borders, as any other country would be, and as the United States has always been.  Russia has signaled repeatedly that it will stop at nothing to prevent NATO membership for Ukraine.  Ukraine's friends in Europe and America should help them understand, rather than Ukraine is pursuing what could easily turn out to be a suicidal course.  He concluded, "back in October 1962 it was the U.S. southern border that was being approached closely by [[Soviet]] soldiers and missiles in [[Cuba]] which threatened the devastating first strike.  Today it is the relentless march of NATO, closer and closer to Russia's borders.  60 years ago [[President John F. Kennedy]] said. "within the past week unmistakable evidence has established the fact that a series of offensive missile sites is now in preparation on that imprisoned island," and he said that "this is in an area well known to have a special and historical relationship to the U.S. and is a deliberately provocative and unjustified change in the status quo which cannot be accepted by this country."  President Kennedy demanded that the Soviet Union remove and never again try to place nuclear-capable missiles and aircraft virtually on the U.S. border and in an area with a special and historical relationship to the U.S.<ref>https://ccisf.org/ambassador-jack-matlock-ukraine-tragedy-of-a-nation-divided/</ref>

Former U.S. ambassador to Russia [[Jack Matlock]] wrote in ''Krasno Analysis'' on December 14, 2021 that interference by the U.S. and its NATO allies in Ukraine's civil struggle has exacerbated the crisis within NATO and raised the specter a possible conflict between the nuclear powers.  Russia is extremely sensitive about foreign military activity adjacent to its borders, as any other country would be, and as the United States has always been.  Russia has signaled repeatedly that it will stop at nothing to prevent NATO membership for Ukraine.  Ukraine's friends in Europe and America should help them understand, rather than Ukraine is pursuing what could easily turn out to be a suicidal course.  He concluded, "back in October 1962 it was the U.S. southern border that was being approached closely by [[Soviet]] soldiers and missiles in [[Cuba]] which threatened the devastating first strike.  Today it is the relentless march of NATO, closer and closer to Russia's borders.  60 years ago [[President John F. Kennedy]] said. "within the past week unmistakable evidence has established the fact that a series of offensive missile sites is now in preparation on that imprisoned island," and he said that "this is in an area well known to have a special and historical relationship to the U.S. and is a deliberately provocative and unjustified change in the status quo which cannot be accepted by this country."  President Kennedy demanded that the Soviet Union remove and never again try to place nuclear-capable missiles and aircraft virtually on the U.S. border and in an area with a special and historical relationship to the U.S.<ref>https://ccisf.org/ambassador-jack-matlock-ukraine-tragedy-of-a-nation-divided/</ref>

President Putin's agreement proposed to Biden on December 7, 2021 was that the United States ensure that Ukraine would not join NATO and thereby have U.S. and NATO forces and missiles of various types placed right on Russia's border and in an area with a special and historical relationship to Russia.

President Putin's agreement proposed to Biden on December 7, 2021 was that the United States ensure that Ukraine would not join NATO and thereby have U.S. and NATO forces and missiles of various types placed right on Russia's border and in an area with a special and historical relationship to Russia.