Russian Embassy's Deputy Chief of Mission reveals country has 'no plans to invade Ukraine'

Tensions between Russia and the Western world - especially the United States - is at an all-time high over the lingering issue of Ukraine. US President Joe Biden has pledged to make it 'very, very' difficult for his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to take military action in Ukraine as US intelligence officials determined that Russia is planning for a possible military offensive that could begin as soon as early this year.

As tensions between the White House and the Kremlin continue to escalate, in an exclusive conversation with Republic, the Russian Embassy's Deputy Chief of Mission, Roman Babushkin on Friday underlined that Russia's Defence Budget is 20 times less than that of the US, and asked, "Who is in a better position to intimidate?" 

During the conversation with Republic, Babushkin said, "The West intimidates itself with the mysterious Russian threats that do not exist. This is the only way how the diversified west can be consolidated and can be kept under the American leadership even at the expense of the economic interest." 

'Russia has no plans of invading Ukraine': Babushkin

Notably, on December 30, US President Joe Biden held a telephonic conversation with Putin over ongoing tensions with Ukraine. During the conversation, President Biden warned Putin of imposing sanctions if he tried to invade or destabilise the incumbent Ukraine government.

"President Biden urged Russia to de-escalate tensions with Ukraine. He made clear that the United States and its allies and partners will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine," read the statement released by White House press secretary Jen Psaki. Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said Russia would act as the US would react if offensive weapons were deployed near American borders.

Amid talks, Babushkin during the exclusive conversation with Republic further said that Russia has 'no plans' of evading Ukraine as was being claimed by the US."Russia has absolutely no plans of invading Ukraine. Our troops at the border are in our territory and absolutely on legal grounds," said the Russian Embassy's Deputy Chief Of Mission, adding that NATO is not ensuring security in Europe.

"NATO is trying to resolve its biggest issue of identity because after the Cold War there's no reason for it to exist. What they are trying to do is give birth to some purposes," he said.

Watch the interview here: