Russia announced on Thursday that it could respond militarily if the US does not meet its security requirements and is pushing for the withdrawal of all US troops from Eastern and Central Europe.

“In the absence of will on the US side to negotiate firm and legal guarantees for our security from the US and its allies, Russia will be enforced to answer, including with military-technical measures,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. response to US proposals. “We urge the withdrawal of all US military forces in Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the Baltic States,” the ministry said.

The Russians are responding to the US’s refusal to comply with essential demands made by the country, including a ban on Ukraine’s accession to NATO and curtailment of Western influence on Eastern Europe and former Soviet states.

In the statement, Russia again indicated that it has no plans to invade Ukraine, despite the US claiming that an attack is possible at any time. “There is no ‘Russian invasion of Ukraine, which the United States and its allies have officially announced since last fall, nor is it planned,” the State Department said in a public statement.