Your Evening Briefing: U.S. Offers More Talks to Russia as Tensions Rise

U.S. and NATO officials on Thursday went beyond just saying Russia’s troop pullback-claims were false. Now they say the Kremlin has been adding thousands of soldiers to Ukraine’s borders while simultaneously signaling a new openness to diplomacy. Some 150,000 Russian forces were already positioned around much of Ukraine as the Kremlin (which has denied any increase in numbers) continued to demand assurances that its neighbor never join NATO and that allied forces roll back from Eastern European member states. Those demands have been rejected.

Tensions are also escalating on the ground, as shelling broke out in eastern Ukraine, where a low-intensity war between Russia-supported separatists and the Ukrainian military has killed 14,000 since 2014. Both sides claim the other violated a ceasefire, but Ukraine contends shelling by the rebels intensified throughout the day. The White House is warning that a false-flag operation may be underway to create cover for a further Russian invasion. Russia, which already occupies Crimea, has denied any such plans or any intention to attack. Ukraine officials say they are preparing defenses for whatever comes.