US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that Washington is closely monitoring the movements of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border, but cannot yet unravel the Kremlin's plans. This was the subject of a briefing by the head of the Pentagon.
This was stated on Twitter of the U.S. Department of Defense.
"As for the accumulation of forces on the border with Ukraine, we are closely monitoring this situation. We don't know for sure what Putin's agenda is, but these troop movements definitely have our attention," Austin noted.
The secretary said he regularly discusses the issue with General Todd Walters, head of U.S. European Command, and stressed that Washington's support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and independence remains unwavering.
Austin called on Russia to "be more transparent about its intentions and take steps to implement the Minsk agreements.
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned Russia about the Alliance's firm support for Ukraine.
