Russian President Vladimir Putin recently suggested the idea of creating a "demilitarized zone" between Russia and Ukraine. At a briefing, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller responded to this statement and said that Russia should start withdrawing its troops from Ukrainian territories if it is really interested in demilitarization of Ukraine.

"It's hard for me to understand how a demilitarized zone between Russia and Ukraine will be created when Russian troops are now in Ukraine," he said.

The State Department spokesman emphasized that it is difficult to have a demilitarized zone when Russian troops continue to operate on the Ukrainian side of the border. He added that Putin has made it clear more than once that he has not changed his goals to conquer Ukraine.

"So I think that if Russia is really interested in a demilitarized zone, it could start by demilitarizing those parts of Ukraine where Russian troops are now," Miller emphasized.