Ukraine working with allies on ways to deter Russia - Kuleba

According to Kuleba, Ukraine is cooperating with allies like the United States and the UK on ways to deter the Kremlin. "We - together with partners - we have to make this price unbearable for Putin," he said.

Kuleba described a three-pronged approach to trying to dissuade renewed Russian aggression - through political messaging, sanctions and closer military cooperation with partners.

"They [the U.S. and other allies] can strike economically. We will be fighting on the ground. I am sorry to say that, but there will be a lot of dead Russian soldiers, and we hope President Putin does not want that to happen," the minister said.

Kuleba said he did not expect NATO forces to fight Russia alongside Ukrainian troops should deterrence fail, but he expected their support.

"What we are asking is to help us to avoid the war or if we are left with no alternative because of Russia's willingness to launch a war, then help us to strengthen our army," he said.

The Washington Post wrote earlier, citing a U.S. intelligence document, that satellite imagery showed 70,000 Russian troops amassed in three locations near Ukraine's border and in the occupied Crimea. A total of 50 combat tactical groups, as well as tanks and artillery, have been deployed to these areas.

On December 5, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov, speaking on Estonian television, said that the number of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border would further increase up to 175,000.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden said his administration was preparing a series of initiatives aimed at deterring Russian aggression.

On December 7, the U.S. and Russian presidents held talks for over two hours. Biden intends to discuss their results with European allies, as well as with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

op