Russian President Vladimir Putin is known as a lover of nature and outdoor activities, especially in Siberia. (Photo: RIA) According to the Kremlin spokesman, “the position of Head of State simply does not allow Putin to plan such a vacation. However, you know in some flash cases, the president uses the last day. week to rest”. Peskov added that he is not currently aware of any specific plans by President Putin this summer. It is known that Putin spent the previous vacation in the Taiga forest in early spring. Accompanying him was Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The two also rode in a tracked off-road vehicle, with Putin at the wheel and Shoigu next to him in the passenger seat and then walking through the Taiga forest. President Putin has long been known as a leader who loves adventure and action. His ideal locations are often scenic spots with both mountains and rivers, convenient for sports and recreation activities. Before that, one of the Russian leader’s most prominent travels was a two-day trip to Siberia in August 2017. After that, the Kremlin boss went to the Taiga forest, where he fished, swam, sailed along the river in a motorized boat, hiked through the mountains, sunbathe and swim. According to a spokesman for the Russian president, Putin dived for two hours in a cold lake in Siberia to hunt a large milkfish. Since taking power in 2000, Putin has regularly appeared in action sports such as flying fighter jets, riding horses, hunting tigers and releasing a wild leopard. This is how Mr. Putin won the admiration of people in many countries around the world. Currently, Putin still has the absolute support of the Russian people. Many experts believe that Putin will continue to hold the role of President of Russia in the 2024 election. According to the new law, signed after the people voted in favor of amending the Russian constitution last summer, with 78.56% of voters supporting it. Specifically, one of the constitutional amendments passed last year removed the presidential term limit, meaning Mr. Putin is likely to lead the country until 2036. By then, he will be 84 years old. .

According to the Kremlin’s announcement, Putin signed the decree relating to “diplomatic missions and consulates, representative offices of foreign agencies or organizations” that act against the state, Russian people or organizations, collectively referred to as “hostile foreign countries”. Accordingly, “unfriendly countries” will be restricted – or in certain cases banned – from hiring or employing Russian nationals. Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: TASS The Russian government is tasked with determining the number of Russian staff that can be hired by foreign agencies and representative offices in Russia. The Ordinance states that the number of employees in foreign agencies and representative offices in excess of the prescribed number of Moscow government, even though there is a contract before the decree is signed, will have to be terminated. . This decree does not affect diplomats, consulates or citizens of the country where the representative office is located in Russia. The Russian government also has the task of making a list of “hostile foreign countries” and overseeing the implementation of restrictions or bans, as well as ensuring the rights of Russian citizens who are represented by agencies or offices. Foreign labor contract termination due to this ordinance. The Ordinance will take effect from the date it was officially announced, that is, April 23, and will be enforced until these responses are canceled. The Kremlin noted that the decree was consistent with current provisions of Russian law, including a federal law on “responses to unfriendly acts of the US and other countries”. Russia’s decree was issued in the midst of Moscow facing waves of expulsion of Russian diplomats. Germany, Poland and Sweden expelled three Russian diplomats in response to Moscow’s expulsion of three European diplomats for involvement in protests demanding the release of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny. The US expelled 10 Russian diplomats for alleged election interference and cyber attacks. Ukraine expelled “a senior diplomat” from Russia after Russia detained and expelled a Ukrainian consulate-general on allegations of espionage. Most recently, the Czech Republic expelled 18 Russian diplomats over allegations that the Russian secret was involved in two explosions of ammunition depots in the Central European country. Because of “solidarity with the Czech Republic”, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia expelled many Russian diplomats. These moves led to a series of “reciprocal” retaliation measures between Russia and these countries, making relations between Moscow and the West even more tense.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Accordingly, the Kremlin on April 23 said that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the application of measures to influence the bad actions of foreign countries. The statement from the Kremlin stated: “Mr. Vladimir Putin signed the decree on the application of response measures to foreign acts of bad will”. Specifically, Russia will limit the number of employees that can be recruited at diplomatic missions of countries that act inadvertent to Russia, the number of which exceeds the Russian government determined will be suspended . For this decree, diplomatic missions, consulates and offices of foreign government organizations acting unfriendly to Russia, Russian citizens or legal entities, will be faced with restricts, or even outright ban on, the use of Russian citizens. The Russian government is expected to identify a list of unfavorable foreign states and then adopt the countermeasures set up under the decree. Reportedly, the move above comes in the context of Russia and Western countries recently repeatedly expelled diplomats in the mutual diplomatic retaliation measures.

President Putin on April 23 signed a decree on measures to respond to “unfriendly actions” against Russia. Photo: Tass It is the task of the Russian government to determine the number of Russian individuals that can be recruited by foreign missions. Accordingly, labor contracts with individuals in excess of the number set by the Russian government, signed before the start of the decree, will be terminated, Tass reported. In addition, President Putin ordered the Government to make a list of countries taking action against Russia that are subject to a restriction order, requiring these countries to ensure control over the observance of the labor rights of Russian citizens in the school. their contract is terminated by ordinance. The Ordinance was introduced to protect the interests and security of Russia under federal law No. 281-FZ on “Special Economic and Enforcement Measures” dated December 30, 2006 and No127-FZ on ” Dealing with unfriendly actions of the US and some countries ”June 4, 2018 The Ordinance takes effect from the date it was officially announced.

Russian President Putin and US President Biden. Photo: BBC

“When I spoke to President Putin, I expressed confidence that direct and personal communication between the two of us is essential to a more effective relationship. He agrees on that point.” – he said.

He added: “So I proposed that we meet face to face this summer in Europe for a summit to address a wide range of issues that both our countries are facing. face.”

According to him, “our teams are discussing this possibility right now.”

“And if that summit takes place and I believe it will happen, the US and Russia can launch a dialogue of strategic stability to pursue cooperation in arms control,” Biden stressed. and security ”.

“We can tackle important global challenges that require Russia and the US to work together, including curbing nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea, ending the global pandemic. and deal with the existing climate change crisis “- declared by US President.

In the same speech, Mr. Biden said he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of the sanctions in a phone call he called a “straightforward, respectful conversation” on April 13.

“I have made it clear to President Putin that we can take more action, but I choose not to. I chose to respond accordingly. The US does not want to start a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia. We want a stable, predictable relationship, ”Mr. Biden said at the White House on April 15.

The sanctions “send a signal that the United States will impose measures strategically and have an economic impact on Russia if it continues or escalates destabilizing international actions,” the White House said. know in a statement. “Our goal is not to escalate, to impose sanctions on what we feel is an unacceptable action by the Russian government,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. before the press on April 15.

The White House said on April 15 that recent sanctions actions were also prompted by Moscow “targeting dissidents or journalists” and undermining “security in countries and regions.” important to US national security ”, referring to the recent Russian alleged poisoning of opposition leader Alexey Navalny and military consolidation along the Ukrainian border.

Mr. Biden has strained his relationship with Putin personally by agreeing with the view that Putin is a “killer”. The US President did not apologize and also refused to hold talks with the Russian President when Putin proposed a dialogue.

For a while, Mr. Biden continued to send signals that the US would punish Russia for its interference in the US’s internal affairs, including cyber attacks and election interference. At the same time, the US leader suggests direct dialogue with the Russian President.

For the past two days, Mr. Biden has repeatedly heated up American media about what he sees as a measure of pressure on Moscow, forcing it to pay the price for what it has done with America, while leaving the door open. the door to directly negotiate with Mr. Putin.

Analysts said that Mr. Biden’s actions in imposing new sanctions against the possibility of a live conference with Putin, will give Mr. Biden’s negotiating advantage.

Expert Lev Sokolschik, scientist of the Center for Integrated Research on European and International Affairs at Russia’s HSE State Research University, said that the US is continuing its policy of restraining Russia on all fronts. Important aspects include economic, military, political and using pressure in areas of interest to win the US over Russia.

The US has followed the roadmap: Announcing the summit proposal, negotiating and then imposing sanctions on dialogue with Russia with its strengths, the Russian expert said.

However, given the ever-confrontational nature of the Russia-US relationship, the actions of the US would immediately receive a response from Russia. The Russian side is also considering a number of retaliation sanctions and could be announced in the near future.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan previously called the sanctions “adequate measures to protect US interests from harmful Russian actions including cyber intrusion and election interference”.

The recently announced measures include sanctions on six Russian companies that support domestic cyber operations, along with sanctions on 32 individuals and organizations allegedly trying. to interfere in last year’s presidential election.

The White House said 10 Russian diplomats were deported, including representatives of Russian intelligence agencies.

“What is currently being considered – possibly sanctions – will not help the meeting,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The head of the White House said in a phone call earlier this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin he made a clear stance that the US and Russia may have “gone further,” emphasizing that Washington “did not want to arrest. the beginning of a cycle of escalation and conflict “with Moscow.

Mr. Biden asserted that after direct communication between him and Putin, the US and Russia could establish “a more effective relationship” and the Kremlin boss “agreed” with this view.

According to Biden, his proposal to hold a summit with his Russian counterpart this summer in Europe will be an opportunity to launch a stable strategic dialogue.

Putin has yet to react to the White House boss’s invitation, but Biden said his cabinet is discussing the possibility now.

Before that, despite President Biden proposing a bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart, on April 15, the US still announced economic sanctions against Russia and expelled 10 foreign diplomats. This was in response to actions that Washington alleged was “interference” by the Kremlin in US elections and large-scale cyber attacks.

In addition, the US Treasury Department also announced sanctions against 8 individuals and entities involved in Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

For its part, the Kremlin vowed to respond adequately to any new illegal US sanctions against Russia and noted that any new sanctions would reduce the chances of a meeting. two sides summit.

RIA quoted Peskov as saying: “On the territory of Ukraine, reducing the escalation of tensions in Donbass can only be achieved if the Ukrainian Armed Forces stop military provocations”.

It is known that on April 13, US President Joe Biden had a phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the conversation, Mr. Biden especially expressed concern about the Russian military’s increased military presence in Crimea and on the border with Ukraine.

The Kremlin cites conditions for de-escalation of tensions in Donbass. Photo: RIA

President Biden stressed the US’s unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Besides, President Biden has proposed to his Putin counterpart to hold a summit in a third country in the near future.

Concerning developments, in the last weeks of March, parties to the conflict in Ukraine accused each other of violating the ceasefire and transferring military equipment to the communication line.

“The Kremlin is concerned that a civil war will continue in Ukraine. If civil war and large-scale hostilities continue near our borders, it would pose a threat to Russia’s security, ”Peskov said.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, when referring to the issue of “pulling troops” to the Ukrainian border, he stressed that Russia is operating on its own territory and that these military measures are necessary, and do not disturb foreign partners.

Earlier, President Putin’s foreign policy advisor, Yuri Ushakov, invited US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan to discuss this issue.

Mr. Ushakov stressed to Ambassador Sullivan that Moscow will react seriously if the US takes “unfriendly actions” such as imposing sanctions.

President Joe Biden has proposed holding a summit with Putin

On April 13, US President Joe Biden held a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, underlining Washington’s commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and expressing concerns about the concentration of the military. of Russia near the Ukraine border. Mr. Joe Biden also proposed a summit between the two leaders in a third country.

In March, Joe Biden still warned Moscow to pay the price for meddling in the US presidential election, but so far, no sanctions have been announced.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden.

The sanctions are part of the US government’s response to Russia’s election meddling in the US and the launch of the SolarWinds cyber attack last December, according to the New York Times.

Sources say that among the Russian citizens that the US is preparing to impose sanctions are both government officials and intelligence services.

The Wall Street Journal also cited sources as saying that US President Joe Biden would issue a decree extending a ban on US banks from conducting transactions related to Russia’s national debt.

Earlier in January, the US Agency for Cyber ​​Security and Infrastructure (CISA) issued a joint statement by the FBI and several other agencies, under which Russia is likely to be behind the attack. Large-scale networks targeted at customers of the computer security firm SolarWinds.

According to Washington, the goal of the attack was to gather intelligence. However, it was later reported that the attackers did not gain access to sensitive information.

In mid-March, US intelligence released a new report, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of directing the Russian government’s influence campaigns to reduce the likelihood of Democratic candidate Joe Biden’s victory in elections in 2020 and deepening political divisions in America.

Advisor to US President Joe Biden on national security Jake Sullivan recently stated that in response to this attack the White House is ready to use a variety of methods, not only sanctions but also “tangible and intangible” tools.

The New York Times also wrote that the US is planning to carry out “secret counterattacks” on Russian systems.

The Kremlin rated the allegations as “completely unfounded” and said that this was just an excuse for the new sanctions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia did not interfere in the US election and was not involved in cyber attacks.

The US intends to punish a series of Russian diplomats.

Accordingly, 12 Russian individuals, including intelligence officials and government officials, and 20 other entities in the US sanctions category.

In addition, Washington is also preparing to expel 10 Russian diplomats.

Just last week, Bloomberg reported that the US administration had completed an intelligence assessment of Russia’s potential role in a cyberattack against SolarWinds and meddling in the 2020 presidential election.

The White House is considering actions against US diplomats, including punishing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s advisers and agencies involved in allegations of election interference.

In mid-March, US intelligence released a new report, alleging that Putin had authorized the Russian government’s “influence activities” to undermine the then Democratic candidate. Biden in the 2020 election and exacerbated political divisions in the US.

The Kremlin considers the report “completely unfounded and unfounded” and expressed its belief that this is just an excuse to introduce new sanctions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stressed that Russia does not interfere in the US vote, is not involved in the campaign against any candidate. He also noted that Washington’s sanctions policy could exacerbate bilateral relations.

One day earlier, the RIA news agency quoted information from the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying that Russia would act decisively if the US took new “unfriendly steps” such as imposing sanctions.

The same day, the White House announced that the new US administration would work towards a stable relationship with Russia, but to seek predictability rather than trust between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Mr. Biden recently offered to have a face-to-face conference with the Russian president in a European country. The Russian president just “wished him well” and invited Mr. Biden to a face-to-face conversation after hearing that the US President agreed with the view that Putin was a “murderer”.

On April 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden held a telegram to discuss the tensions in Ukraine, security issues and the importance of nuclear arms control. . The White House has also proposed holding a formal meeting “in a third country”.

In a statement on April 13, US officials confirmed that the two leaders of Russia and the US had talked about “a series of regional and international issues”.

Presidents Biden and Putin telephoned, but Russia-US relations are still difficult to escape tension. (Photo: RT)

Specifically, President Biden has “voiced concerns about unusual Russian military maneuvers” on the Crimean peninsula and along the Ukrainian border. Mr. Biden called on Moscow to take action “to cool down”.

The exchange between the Russian-US President comes at a time when the danger of conflict between the Ukrainian army and Moscow-backed militants inside the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine shows signs of pushing up into a total war. The move to mobilize large numbers of troops and weapons by the Kiev government has led Russia to also strengthen its military presence along the Ukrainian border.

Some Western countries accuse Moscow of planning to invade Ukraine, but Russian officials have repeatedly denied.

In a move intended to show support for Ukraine, Washington dispatched two warships to the Black Sea.

For its part, the Kremlin says the situation in Donbass is “extremely horrible”, and Russian diplomats have previously expressed concerns with their American counterparts.

But US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Washington was worried about receiving “credible reports” about the movement of Russian troops near the border between Russia and Ukraine and called for “Russia. restraint to avoid escalating stress ”.

Over the past few months, the US-Russia relationship has deteriorated. Moscow even summoned the Russian ambassador to the country to conduct urgent discussions about the future of relations with Washington.

Specifically, the Russian ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, returned home after in an interview President Biden called Putin a “murderer”. Mr. Biden’s comments have met with strong criticism from many Russian officials.

For his part, Putin used a maxim to disprove Mr. Biden’s claim. According to Mr. Putin, Mr. Biden is “breaking our belly to the stomach”.

“I remember that when we were kids, we played together on the field and used to say ‘belly-up’. It is not a joke or a kid’s sentence, this one has a profound psychological meaning. We always see our own qualities in others and think they really are like us, “Putin said.

According to Putin, the US is “determined” to build relations with Russia, but “only on matters that are beneficial to the US”.

Concluding a phone call between the two presidents on April 13, the US said that Biden’s goal was to build a “predictable and stable relationship with Russia in line with American interests”. In addition, the US also proposed to hold a summit in the next few months, to create an opportunity for the two leaders to “discuss the issues that Russia and the US are facing together”.

In a statement at the end of April 13, the Kremlin said President Biden “expressed a desire to normalize bilateral relations” and sought a consensus on arms control operations, chapter nuclear process, situation in Afghanistan and global climate change problem.

In the past, Russian President Putin met with Biden’s predecessor, former President Donald Trump, in Helsinki in 2018.

For now, Moscow is still skeptical of the White House wanting to hold a constructive dialogue.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “No one allows the US to talk to Russia in a strong position.” Instead, the two countries should treat each other fairly, Mr. Peskov said.

80,000 Russian soldiers in border areas

Ukrainian President Iuliia Mendel’s spokesman on April 12 said Russia sent more than 40,000 troops to Ukraine’s eastern border and another 40,000 to Crimea – which was declared Russian since 2014. “Van Our presidential room has asked to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin. We have not received an answer and hope that this is not a refusal to talk, “Ms. Iuliia Mendel told Interfax and added that the request for negotiations was sent on March 26, after when four Ukrainian soldiers were killed by bombardment in the East.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited troops in the eastern Donbass region on April 9, amid escalating tensions.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry asked Russia to end what it called “military rhetoric and misinformation.” In mid-April, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Paris to speak with European leaders about Russia’s actions and the growing conflict in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskiyy is scheduled to meet with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan – an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Meanwhile, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he “has not seen any requests for the past few days”. Confirming that Russia’s military forces are free to move within the country as appropriate and that the movement of troops near the Ukrainian border and the exercises pose no threat, the Kremlin reiterated that Their support for the separatists is limited to political and humanitarian support.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits the army in the Donbass region east.

Last week, President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of “dangerous provocations” in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine and said Russian-Ukrainian political advisers were trying to organize a new round of talks. may take place in Normandy format – a multilateral dialogue involving French and German leaders. German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer on April 12 also urged Moscow to announce its intentions in the region, saying that if Vladimir Putin’s government “has nothing to hide it can be easily explained. the reason why the army is moving “.

And Manfred Weber, a prominent member of the European Parliament, calls Russia’s military build-up a limited test of the West, warning that if the situation continues to escalate, Moscow will face off. with new sanctions.

Close to the risk of conflict

The fighting in eastern Ukraine had calmed down since July last year but has now heated up and has seen violence erupt. The question now is whether Russia’s beginning to gather troops along the Ukrainian border is a prelude to war? In fact, last year, Moscow and Kiev agreed to better enforce a prolonged ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, namely the Donetsk and Luhansk separatist regions.

However, President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy was unable to fulfill his promise while running for office. Violence in the Donbass began to increase in early February when Ukraine dispatched new forces and weapons to the border line; at the same time announced the joint exercise plan with NATO member countries in this country’s territory.

In this regard, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Ukraine’s membership in NATO could lead to a large-scale escalation in the separatist republics of southeastern Ukraine and cause cooperation. action is irreversible for Ukraine. According to the Russian side, Ukraine’s accession to NATO is just an illusion, because one of the principles for a country to join this organization is that there is no internal conflict, otherwise, it will turn NATO into a war party. . Russia also responded by increasing its border controls with Ukraine.

Soldiers of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) during a training exercise near Donetsk city in August 2020. Photo: EPA.

“Obviously, Ukraine wants to show its toughness to Russia, wants to resolve the internal conflict by means of strength. At the same time, if Ukraine joins NATO, Ukraine can expect the support of its allies to confront Russia directly in resolving disputes, ”commented AP firm.

In addition, with the new administration of the United States, President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy began to make decisions to allow Washington to participate more directly in the deadlock in the East. However, according to NATO officials, Russia is unlikely to escalate the problem for Ukraine because they are also worried about bogged down in a costly conflict without a clear exit strategy. , especially the conflict that has the potential to disappoint Western countries. Furthermore, the element of military intervention on behalf of Donetsk and Luhansk does not have the same political appeal to the Russian public as the conflicts in Georgia and Crimea were.

On the Ukraine side, observers also said that the country did not want to engage in a protracted war with its larger neighbor. “Kiev understands that if they take any offensive action against Russia, they risk losing the existing support of the West,” the Times article stated. Also according to the Times magazine, the current Russian – Ukraine tensions are also a challenge to NATO and a test for the US President Joe Biden administration.