Russia accuses the US of escalating Ukraine tensions
(VOVWORLD) - Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the US putting 8,500 troops on alert to be ready to deploy to Europe in case of an escalation in the Ukraine crisis is fueling tensions over Ukraine.
 American troops participate in a maneuver in Grafenwoehr, Germany. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
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In a statement on Tuesday, he said the Kremlin is watching US and NATO actions with great concern. Peskov said President Vladimir Putin will talk this week with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is also planning to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. According to Peskov, the US troop alert did not affect negotiations because the latest talks had already been completed.
The same day, US Congressman Gregory Meeks, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, led a bipartisan delegation to Brussels and Kyiv to discuss the security situation in Eastern Europe and the buildup of Russian troops along Ukraine’s border and in Belarus. In Kyiv, the delegation met with senior Ukrainian officials to discuss the security situation and reiterate US support for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.