US Intel Chief: Russia's Attack on Baltic States 'Not on the Cards'

The United States recognizes that Russia is not planning any invasion in any of the three Baltic states, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told a congressional hearing on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Clapper also acknowledged that Russia supported the Minsk agreements and was not responsible for clashes between secessionist forces in eastern Ukraine and the troops of the Poroshenko regime in Kiev.

“The Russians really want to sustain their influence in Ukraine. For now, they will maintain the status quo… Upstart separatists… are carrying out incidents threatening the Minsk accords,” Clapper noted.

In his prepared statement for the Committee, Clapper acknowledged that levels of violence in eastern Ukraine had decreased. He also pointed out his belief that Moscow would seek to continue efforts to maintain long-term influence over Kiev through 2016.

“A hard assault against the Baltics — that isn't on the cards right now,” Clapper admitted to the hearing of the US House of Representatives Select Committee on Intelligence. “The Russians are preoccupied in Syria.”