US President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting. File photo

Gulf Today Report

US President Joe Biden said he was going to have a "long discussion" with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Russia-Ukraine crisis and that he would not accept Russia's "red lines."

"We're aware of Russia's actions for a long time and my expectation is we're going to have a long discussion with Putin," Biden told reporters as he departed for a weekend trip to Camp David.

READ MORE

WHO has no reports yet of Omicron deaths

Mohamed Bin Zayed receives French President Macron at Expo 2020 Dubai

"I don't accept anybody's red lines," he said of Russia's demands.

The new intelligence finding estimates that the Russians are planning to deploy an estimated 175,000 troops and almost half of them are already deployed along various points near Ukraine's border, according to a Biden administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the finding.

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting.

Biden has pledged to make it "very, very difficult” for Russia’s Vladimir Putin to take military action in Ukraine as US intelligence officials determined that Russian planning is underway for a possible military offensive that could begin as soon as early 2022.

More than 94,000 Russian troops are massed near Ukraine's borders, Ukrainian authorities have said, citing intelligence reports suggesting Moscow may be planning a large-scale military offensive for the end of January.

It comes as Russia has picked up its demands on Biden to guarantee that Ukraine will not be allowed to join the NATO alliance.

The official added that the plans call for the movement of 100 Russian battalion tactical groups along with armour, artillery and equipment.

Intelligence officials also have seen an uptick in Russian propaganda efforts through the use of proxies and media outlets to denigrate Ukraine and NATO ahead of a potential invasion, the official said.

Asked about the intelligence finding as he set out for the presidential retreat at Camp David on Friday evening, Biden reiterated his concerns about Russian provocations.

"We’ve been aware of Russia’s actions for a long time and my expectation is we’re gonna have a long discussion with Putin,” Biden said.

The risks of such a gambit for Putin, if he actually went through with an invasion, would be enormous.