Vladimir Putin has said that "of course" Russia does not want war in Europe, but that his security concerns must be addressed and taken seriously.

The Russian president's comments came as the military said that some troops were withdrawing from the border near Ukraine - the first sign from Moscow of a possible de-escalation of tensions.

However Western leaders say there is no evidence of the withdrawal yet.
Russia's sudden military build-up prompted fears it would invade Ukraine.
Mr Putin has always denied he is planning an incursion, but tensions have been rising since November, when Russian troops started massing near the border with Ukraine.

Russia has deep cultural and historic ties with Ukraine, which is a former Soviet republic. Mr Putin wants assurances that it will not join the Western Nato military alliance because he sees any expansion of it as a threat to Russia. Nato has rejected that demand.

When he said that he was lying because he was stating he wasn't going to invade but he did invade Ukraine to regain Soviet Union from his childhood. Ukraine was part of that. However, you cannot regain your childhood but improve the lives of children by being a good leader. A world leader that lied to the United Nations and the European Union.

Tell me, what type of world leader lies to the UN and EU then to his people even silence those protesting against war he created? A dictator that starts wars and shouldn't be a world leader. A world leader should be focus on peace and diplomacy. At a rally Putin had to pay his own people to show up. He paid $5 to his people which is 480.63 Russian Ruble or 529.32 Russian Ruble to the Euro coin.

It is proof he is lying and is still lying. Clash over 'genocide'
Mr Putin was speaking in Moscow following a four-hour meeting with Germany's Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, who is the latest Western leader to visit the region to try to de-escalate tensions.

When asked about the prospect of war, Mr Putin told reporters: "Do we want this or not? Of course, not. That is exactly why we put forward proposals for a process of negotiations."

But the two men clashed when Mr Putin said there was a precedent for war in Europe - the conflict in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s - which he said was waged by Nato against Serbia without UN Security Council approval.

Mr Scholz said the situation was different because there was a danger of genocide by Serbs against non-Serbs, to which Mr Putin said what was happening in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region - where Russia is backing separatists was also a genocide, against ethnic Russians. The German chancellor later told reporters that Mr Putin was wrong to use the word genocide in this case.

Mr Putin also said that Nato had so far failed to address Russia's "basic" security concerns. He is demanding that the issue of Ukraine joining Nato be addressed now - even through Ukraine is a long way from even starting an application to join the alliance. Mr Scholz said the build up of troops was "incomprehensible", but there was still a chance that diplomatic solutions could ease the tensions.

When are the United Nations Leaders and the European Union Leaders are going to point this out to Putin. He lied to them. He is lying to his people. He is lying to himself as he orders his men to killed men, women and children civilians even during a ceasefire then deny it and blame it on Ukraine soldiers. Share this to your local MPs or governed town minsters as this needs to be bought to light.

Do not let the mistake of those of the past be repeated. That's how Hitler come to power and innocents were killed because of one man.