Any attempt to make concessions to Putin only leads to escalation - Feygin

This also applies to attempts to stop Russia's military escalation along Ukraine's borders, he said.

"The paradox is that this can only be achieved by refusing to pacify him [Putin]. Any attempt to make concessions to him only leads to escalation," Feygin said.

He recalled a recent video call between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"They started discussing in some way Moscow's demands on 'red lines' regarding NATO's eastward expansion at the expense of Ukraine and Georgia, etc. The Americans publicly made some gestures in this regard, offering something and willing to discuss something. And Russian Deputy Foreign Minister [Sergei] Ryabkov said that Russia has a military response if the agreements are not implemented. That is, it turns out the opposite - we must not give up," the Russian politician said.

Feygin stressed that any concessions to Moscow lead to further pressure from Russia.

"Concessions lead to further pressure. They believe that once their demands were accepted, they could make more demands. [...] If we take this strategy, then you just need to do the opposite. You need to show strength, especially given the rearmament of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which is being done with the assistance of the West, for example, Bayraktar drones, modern anti-tank weapons, etc.," he said.

Earlier reports said that about 100,000 Russian troops had currently been deployed near Ukraine's borders.

Earlier, Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, said that Russian troops could launch an invasion of Ukraine in January or February next year in several directions: through areas of the eastern border (both controlled and not controlled by Kyiv), as well as from Crimea and Belarus.

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