Putin to seek guarantees on Ukraine as invasion fears grow

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV and YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin says President Vladimir Putin will seek binding guarantees precluding NATO’s expansion to Ukraine during a planned call with U.S. President Joe Biden. A U.S. intelligence report and the Ukrainian defense minister have warned of a possible Russian invasion as soon as next month. Russia-West tensions have escalated with Ukraine and its Western backers becoming increasingly concerned that a Russian troop buildup near the Ukrainian border could signal Moscow’s intention to invade. Speaking to reporters in Washington, Biden said his administration was putting together “the most comprehensive and meaningful set of initiatives” to prevent any Russian escalation.