U.S. Ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan said Friday that Russia says it does not want war but has put "a gun on the table" in its negotiations with the United States by grouping troops on Ukraine's borders.
This, according to European Pravda, was reported by Reuters.
In an online briefing from Moscow, Sullivan called the buildup of tens of thousands of Russian troops an emergency and said it couldn't be explained by routine military exercises.
"It's the equivalent of if you and I were having a discussion or a negotiation. If I put a gun on the table and say I come in peace, that's a threat. And that's what we're seeing now," Sullivan said.
"We hope that the Russian government is true to its word and is not planning and will not attack Ukraine. But the facts are that it now has the capacity to do so," he said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Russian radio stations earlier Friday that Moscow is not seeking war.
Sullivan said Washington is now awaiting Russia's response to written proposals from the United States and NATO that outline a diplomatic way out of the crisis and called on Russia to withdraw troops from Ukraine's borders.
He said he hoped telephone conversations or a physical meeting between U.S. and Russian diplomats might follow, reiterating that diplomacy is the only way forward.
Sullivan also said economic sanctions against Russia after the invasion of Ukraine would be part of the West's response.
Other measures would include export controls and increased protection for allies in Europe, the United States would also prevent the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from coming online, he said.
As a reminder, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland assured that the Nord Stream-2 pipeline would not start working if Russia invaded Ukraine.
