Ukrainian servicemenWASHINGTON Feb 17The United States and Estonia are calling on Russia to take immediate steps to de-escalate the ongoing crisis around Ukraine, including by withdrawing troops from the Ukrainian border to their places of permanent deployment, according to a joint statement issued after a meeting of the heads of the diplomatic departments of the two countries.Against the background of unsubstantiated voices in the West on accusations of preparing an invasion of Ukraine, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Tuesday that the Russian Armed Forces would return to their places of permanent deployment at the end of the exercises. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the withdrawal of the military to their places of deployment after the exercises is a common practice, there is nothing new in this. «Russia must take immediate steps to de-escalate the current crisis by returning its troops to their permanent bases and taking on undertaking to find a diplomatic solution,» the statement reads. The document was made public following a meeting between Estonian Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. In addition, the United States and Estonia called on Belarus «to comply with its international obligations, including through the OSCE, and refrain from further escalating tensions.» The United States and Estonia share deep concern over Russia's unprovoked buildup of its armed forces in and around Ukraine, as well as the entry of its troops into Belarus. This poses a threat to peace and security in Europe,» the statement said.From 10 to 20 February, joint Belarusian-Russian exercises «Allied Resolve-2022», within the framework of which issues of suppressing and repelling external aggression, as well as countering terrorism and protecting the interests of the Union State will be worked out. Representatives of Russia and Belarus have repeatedly stated that the maneuvers are defensive and do not threaten anyone. The plans attributed to Russia to escalate the situation around Ukraine in Moscow are categorically denied and constantly state that they do not threaten anyone, and all such statements are used as a pretext to place more NATO military equipment near Russian borders. As Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier, Russia does not create any pretexts for a conflict situation around Ukraine. According to him, Russia does not rule out that the hysteria around Ukraine, hyped by the West, is aimed at covering Kiev's line of sabotaging the Minsk agreements on Donbass. The Kremlin said that the information hysteria of the US and NATO over Ukraine is generously framed by lies and fakes.
