There may be a sign that Russia will take a diplomatic way forward in its disagreement with Ukraine, after troops were seen being “pulled back”
According to reports first published by Interfax News Agency Russian troops had been seen heading back to base, after being stationed on the border with Ukraine.
It’s a possible sign that could mean an invasion of Ukraine will not occur.
The Kremlin is yet to release a statement to confirm the motive behind the troop pullback, but there has been increased pressure from the West, calling for Russia to de-escalate its aggression with its neighbour.
Leaders from around the world including US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Macron are among the many nations defending Ukraine and urging Moscow to withdraw troops that had been deployed to the border.
BBC Reports that Russia’s Defence Ministry had stated that it was pulling back some of its troops from the border with Ukraine.
Large-scale drills across the country are continuing.
Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz is heading to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin.
The pair will discuss the troops amassed on the border with Scholz determined to convince Putin to avoid war threatening sanctions if his country attacks Ukraine.
Germany is Russia’s number one trade partner in Europe and the biggest consumer of Russian natural gas.
But Scholz has avoided discussing sanctioning the Nordstream 2 pipeline, even after US President Joe Biden said the pipeline would be halted if Russia invaded.
This follows US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meeting with the minister on Monday stressing the US and its allies’ “commitment to the sovereignty of Ukraine”.
