Russia wants a written guarantee that Ukraine and other former Soviet countries will not be allowed into NATO and that the alliance's deployments in Eastern Europe be pulled. WATCH | Putin accuses NATO of aggressive actions as tensions rise over Ukraine: Putin turns up the heat, urges West to ensure Ukraine won't join NATO Duration 2:00 Russian President Vladimir Putin used portions of an annual marathon news conference to pressure Western countries into accepting his demands for security guarantees — including making sure Ukraine won't be allowed to join NATO. U.S. President Joe Biden warned Putin in a conference call earlier this month that Russia will face "severe consequences" if it attacks Ukraine. - Vladimir PutinThe U.S. and its allies have said they won't give Russia the kind of guarantee on Ukraine that Putin wants. Russia can't keep living in anticipation of looming security threats posed by possible deployment of Western weapons in Ukraine, Putin said.

Source: CBC News December 23, 2021 21:50 UTC