Ukraine's President Zelensky asks Putin for Russian troop pullback

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said that only the withdrawal of Russian troops from near the countries' border could show that Moscow intends to de-escalate tensions. Speaking at a news conference with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Zelenskyy said Ukraine understood that as well as the 100,000 troops amassed along the Ukraine-Russia border, Russia has up to 50,000 military servicemen and equipment, depending on the moment of rotation, in the territory of the occupied Crimea. He added that up to 35,000 Russian troops were understood to be in the occupied territory of Donbas.

On the Russian troop build-up, Zelenskyy also warned: "This will not be a war between Ukraine and Russia, this will be a full-scale war in Europe."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the U.S. and its allies have ignored Russia’s top security demands but added that Moscow remains open to more talks with the West on easing soaring tensions over Ukraine. Putin argued that it’s possible to negotiate an end to the standoff if interests of all parties, including Russia’s security concerns, are taken into account.

“I hope that we will eventually find a solution, although we realize that it’s not going to be easy,” Putin said amid a continuing buildup of an estimated 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine that fueled Western fear of an invasion.