'Refrain from setting loose confrontation spiral': How Russia is reacting to West's warnings of action over Ukraine tensions

Newspapers in Moscow have criticised the Western nations, with deputy foreign minister Sergey Ryabkov saying that the talks of an invasion were ‘shallow and unfounded’ In the last few days, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has kicked up a notch, with Western powers calling on Moscow to lower tensions. “We can only find solutions down the diplomatic route, and we are both ready to become personally deeply engaged.” France too echoed similar sentiments, with its foreign ministry issuing a statement, reading: “Strong messages were sent to Russia that a new attack on the territorial integrity of Ukraine would have strategic and massive consequences.” United States president Joe Biden also warned Putin — during their virtual meet — of a “strong” Western economic response to any attack on Ukraine. Soon after the two leaders held a virtual summit on 8 December, the White House said: “President Biden voiced the deep concerns of the United States and our European allies about Russia’s escalation of forces surrounding Ukraine and made clear that the US and our allies would respond with strong economic and other measures in the event of military escalation.” However, Kremlin keeps denying that they are planning to invade Ukraine with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying that the talks of a Russian incursion were “shallow and unfounded”. TASS, Russia’s leading news agency, quoted Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergey Ryabkov as saying that ‘Moscow hopes that the United States and its allies in Europe will not step over the “red lines” and will refrain from setting loose the confrontation spiral’. Similarly, RT media, in an column titled ‘ Russia’s plan to invade Ukraine exists only in the US and NATO imagination', Scott Ritter wrote, “The irrational fears and knee-jerk reactions involved are all too real, and, as such, represent a situation that Russia simply cannot ignore.” In another column, Scott Ritter writes again that “Joe Biden needed an agreement with Vladimir Putin that would help reduce tensions in Europe over Ukraine and NATO expansion.