Situation deteriorates – that the West loses control over the negotiations with Russia

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Russia and the U.S. are "one step closer to war" following a call between the two countries' leaders, a Ukrainian political analyst asserted Friday.

Kyiv-based political analyst Petro Burkovskyi said Russian President Vladimir Putin had shown he was ready to defy Western sanctions in the event of a further invasion of Ukraine.

"After the call between (U.S. President Joe) Biden and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, I can say that we are one step closer to the war. During the call, it seems like during the call, Putin showed defiance toward Western sanctions in the case he attacks Ukraine," said Burkovskyi.

His comments came after an almost hour-long call between the two presidents Thursday, held amid growing alarm over Russia's troop buildup near Ukraine.

U.S. President Joe Biden told Putin the two powers now face two paths: diplomacy or American deterrence through sanctions, according to a senior U.S. administration official.

Putin said that new sanctions against Moscow could lead to a complete rupture of ties between the nations.

Petro Burkovskyi explained: "He actually put President Biden before the choice, whether they value the stable relations with the United States or they should face an imminent escalation and confrontation with Russia."

Russia has made clear it wants a written commitment that Ukraine will never be allowed to join NATO and that the alliance's military equipment will not be positioned in former Soviet states.

The Biden administration has rejected these demands. Burkovskyi said he believed the West was "losing control" in talks with Moscow, and that Russia now had the "upper hand" in negotiations.

"Right now, we see the situation deteriorates – that the West loses control over the negotiations with Russia, and Russia is having the upper hand in the negotiations," concluded Burkovskyi.