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Putin: Nothing Should Impede Normalization with West, US Troops to Poland over Ukraine

Putin: Nothing Should Impede Normalization with West, US Troops to Poland over Ukraine
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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said nothing should impede the normalization of relations between Russia and the West, after ties hit a post-Cold War low due to the standoff over Ukraine.

Putin: Nothing Should Impede Normalization with West, US Troops to Poland over UkraineHis remark, which contrasted with weeks of hostile rhetoric on both sides, came after talks between Russia, Ukraine and the West on Thursday in which an agreement was forged on initial steps to ease the crisis.

"It [normalizing relations] does not depend on us, or does not only depend on us. It depends on our partners," Putin said in comments released by Russian news agencies from a state television interview to be broadcast later on Saturday.
He further added: "I think that there is nothing that should stand in the way of a normalization and normal cooperation."
Putin expressed hope that Russia would be able to establish good relations with the incoming NATO secretary general, former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, after testy exchanges with the outgoing chief of the alliance, ex-Danish premier Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

"We have very good relations. And this includes personal relations. He (Stoltenberg) is a very serious, responsible person and let's see how the relations work in his new function," said Putin.

The Russian President also reaffirmed that Moscow was giving Kiev another month to clear its gas debts but insisted Russia was not intent on bringing down the Ukrainian economy.

"We cannot wait forever. We cannot transfer onto the Russian budget and the Russian taxpayer the burden for a country of 45 million people," he said, and pointed out that his country "isn't trying to undermine the Ukrainian economy, which would put the reliability of the transit [of Russian gas] to Europe in doubt."
He called on all European states to work out measures on how to finance the Ukrainian budget.

Meanwhile, the Polish Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak announced that "the United States will deploy its ground forces to Poland in response to events in Ukraine."

He made the remarks one day after a meeting with US War Secretary Chuck Hagel at the Pentagon, The Washington Post reported on Friday.
The decision has been made on a political level and military planners are working out details, the minister said, adding that there will also be intensified cooperation in air defense, Special Forces, cyber defense and other areas.

Poland will play a leading regional role "under US patronage," he said.
"The idea until recently was that there were no more threats in Europe and no need for a US presence in Europe anymore," Siemoniak said. "Events show that what is needed is a re-pivot, and that Europe was safe and secure because America was in Europe."

In a briefing with Siemoniak on Thursday, Hagel mentioned that Washington is considering sending American troops to Poland.

"We have to look at every possibility" based on past actions of Russia, Hagel said.
He added that this includes "an entire range" of options, including a rotation of US troops sent to bases in Poland.

Meanwhile, Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said the agency is considering military options in Europe.
"As Secretary Hagel made clear, we continue to look for ways to reassure NATO allies of our strong commitment to collective defense under Article Five," he told Fox News.

The US military deployed 12 F-16 fighter jets to Poland in recent weeks and delivered 10 F-15s to the Baltic States for air-patrol programs.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

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