Americans’ “retreat” after the demonstration of force from Moscow

United States come in contact with the Russian President Vladimir Putin proposing a way out of the crisis in Ukraine, in cooperation with its European allies.

The idea of this potential solution to the crisis "dropped " on the table by President Barack Obama during a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart last Saturday, and was revealed by a senior White House official to reporters after the telephone conversation of President Obama with Angela Merkel .

Americans' change of mood came up a few hours after the press conference where Putin made clear Russia's positions on the Ukrainian crisis.

At the press conference the Russian President made a strong intervention to the hot issue of Ukraine and he spoke clearly, clarifying that he does not want military conflict, adding though, that Russia holds on the right to intervene if " lawlessness prevail in eastern Ukraine ".

So, according to an U.S. official, who requested anonymity, Obama's proposal to Putin give "point to point" answers to the concerns raised by Moscow on the situation in the neighboring country.

The U.S. president spoke about this crisis solution -that officials call "off-ramp"-, during a telephone conversation on Tuesday with German Angela Merkel, as was revealed by the same official.

The U.S. official noted the close bonds, the diplomatic and economic relations between Germany and Russia, and considered that Merkel has an important role to play in facilitating dialogue.

He said that Obama and Merkel agreed "on the importance of de-escalation, with the presence of international observers" and the commencement of the dialogue between Moscow and Kiev. The "de-escalation project "includes, from the Russian part, the return of soldiers to their bases in the Crimea, the official said.

Moreover, the question of the legality of the provisional government of Kiev, rejected by Putin will be resolved in the May elections.

Asked about the core of the 90-minute conversation between Obama and Putin on Saturday, the official said that the U.S. president addressed the above issue to his counterpart.

In a test launch of Topol intercontinental ballistic missile proceeded Russia, as the tension rises due to the occupation of Crimea by the Russian troops, while West's threats of imposing economic and other sanctions, in response to the crisis in Ukraine are increasing.

Intercontinental ballistic missile set launch from Russia

The news of the successful test launch announced by the representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Igor Gegkorof , only a few hours after the statements by President Vladimir Putin that the military intervention in Crimea is a last resort , but the development of Russian troops in the region is an option that remains on the table .

The strategic missile forces of Russia fired a missile RS-12M Topol from field trials in southern province of Astrakhan, near the Caspian Sea. The missile, according to the representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, succeeded the virtual target set in field tests in Kazakhstan.
This move was a tactic part of force demonstration of force that follows the last days Moscow, while a diplomatic marathon on the part of the EU and the U.S. to prevent a war in the Crimea is in progress .

U.S. official who spoke to Reuters agency, requesting anonymity, said however that the United States had been informed by Russia for the ballistic missile test, under the mutual commitment of both countries.
The official said that the first update for the plans of Moscow had been before the Russian intervention in the Crimea. The inform of the other side about missile tests is prescribed by the treaty for nuclear weapons signed by the two countries .
He, avoided to comment though, on the importance of this test , during the crisis in Ukraine and tensions in Russia's relations with the West .

Russian warships blockaded earlier Kerch Strait separating the Crimea from Russia, according to the Ukrainian border guards, who said that Russian troops control the Ukrainian side of the Straits and they have seen Russian tanks on the Russian side. "Two Russian ships have closed the Strait of Kerch, from north and south," Pavel Sisourin, the deputy commander of the border guards, told to reporters .

Ukrainian sources said that cutting off the Crimean peninsula, the Russians want to prevent the possibility of war supplies of Ukrainian armed forces and cut access to warships of other countries that will try to reach the Crimea.