Russia's use of force is "the new normal in Europe", NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, after a meeting of the alliance's defense ministers to address the crisis. He said that Russia was maintaining "a massive invasion force ready to attack with high-end capabilities from Crimea to Belarus" despite Moscow announcing on Tuesday that some military units would withdraw from the border. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied that they are planning an invasion despite amassing troops near Ukraine. Ahead of the defense meeting, Stoltenberg said that they had "not seen any withdrawal of Russian forces and, of course, that contradicts the message of real diplomatic effort [from Russia]." "What we have seen is they have increased the number of troops and more troops are on their way." US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that Russia had gathered more than 150,000 troops on the Ukrainian border. NATO defense ministers agreed on Wednesday to consider establishing new battlegroups in central, eastern and south-eastern Europe, Stoltenberg said. "It is not too late for Russia to step back from the brink of conflict and choose the path of peace," he said. There has been hope that a diplomatic solution to the crisis is still possible, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying talks should be expanded and President Vladimir Putin adding that Russia does not want a war. Russia has requested that NATO does not incorporate other former Soviet countries and that it roll back its deployments in eastern Europe. "NATO will not compromise on core principles, the right of each nation to choose its own path and our ability to protect and defend all allies," Stoltenberg said on Wednesday. Russia repeated on Wednesday that they would return more troops and weapons to bases in what appeared to be an effort to quell fears that they are planning to invade Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry released a video showing armored vehicles moving across a bridge away from Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Russian fighter jets flew over Belarus on Wednesday and paratroopers held drills as part of war games. Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said that all Russian troops would leave the country after the drills wrap up this weekend. Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson agreed on Monday that there remained a "crucial window for diplomacy". "As long as there is hope of a diplomatic resolution that prevents the use of force and prevents the incredible human suffering that would follow, we will pursue it," Biden said in a televised address on Tuesday. — Euronews
