US seeking balanced approach to deal with Russia as fears on possible Ukraine invasion

United States officials are left baffled with the buildup of Russian troops near Ukraine which has also muddied the response by US President Joe Biden administration. As per AP, some of the Republican lawmakers have been pressing the US to increase its military support for Ukraine. However, that risks turning what might be just a muscle-flexing by Russian President Vladimir Putin into a full-fledged confrontation, which would only add to the challenges for Ukraine. It would reportedly also trigger any energy crisis in Europe.

However, the report noted that a weak response from the US also has its own set of risks such as Putin being emboldened to take more aggressive steps against Ukraine. Meanwhile, fears are also growing over the Russian President trying to seize more of its territory. All of this, AP noted, could cause more political damage for US President Joe Biden especially when his popularity is dropping.

US officials admit they don’t know what Putin is up to

Notably, determining the right balance would be easier if the United States had a better understanding of what the Kremlin leader was trying to accomplish. But, reportedly, senior American officials admit they don’t know. US Defence Secretary Llloyd Austin said, “We’re not sure exactly what Mr. Putin is up to”. A week earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said, “We don’t have clarity into Moscow’s intentions, but we do know its playbook.”

As per the report, a Democrat and member of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep Mike Quigley had said that better knowledge of Putin’s intentions was critical “to avoid the mistakes that have started great wars.” He also noted that any response from the United States must be calibrated to avoid being “an appeaser or a provocateur”. Quigley, as per AP said, “This is a tough, tough area to try to gain information...It’s a challenge that’s as tough or tougher than it’s ever been. It has a pretty serious impact on our ability to make the correct decisions.”

Russia has seized Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014. Presently, a conflict is ongoing in eastern Ukraine between Kyiv and Russian-backed rebels in the region known as Donbas has left approximately 14,000 dead. Now, Ukraine has also said that an estimated 90,000 Russian troops have massed near the border. The media report stated that the Russian troop buildup near its border with Ukraine could be a prelude to another Russian invasion.

(IMAGE: AP)