President Vladimir Putin believes Western nations are ignoring key Russian security concerns, following the U.S.xe2x80xb2 refusal last week to concede to Moscowxe2x80x99s demands over Ukraine and NATO.

xe2x80x9cItxe2x80x99s already clear now … that fundamental Russian concerns were ignored,xe2x80x9d Putin said at a press conference Wednesday, according to a Reuters translation.

His comments followed talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, with whom Putin shares friendly ties, in Moscow.

Itxe2x80x99s the first time that Putin has commented publicly about the geopolitical crisis in weeks, despite a flurry of diplomatic meetings and calls between Russian and Western officials.

While over 100,000 Russian troops remain stationed at various points along Russiaxe2x80x99s border with Ukraine, there remains heightened concerns that Putin could be poised to give his troops a greenlight to invade Ukraine.

Russia has denied it is planning an invasion of Ukraine but trust in Russiaxe2x80x99s word has been low ever since it annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and supported pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. Political analysts believe that Russia wants to maintain its sphere of influence and power over former Soviet states and to stop Ukrainexe2x80x99s gravitation toward the West.

Russia has insisted that it just wants to protect its security interests, particularly in the face of an expanded NATO that has deployed military hardware to eastern Europe. On the build-up of troops along its border with Ukraine, Putin has previously insisted late last year that Russia has a right to move its troops wherever it likes within its territory. The Kremlin has accused the West of stirring up xe2x80x9chysteriaxe2x80x9d over Ukraine.

Russia has made a series of security proposals to the U.S., including that NATO does not expand further to the east or admit Ukraine to the military alliance.

Last week, the U.S. responded to those demands, refusing to accept Russiaxe2x80x99s key proposals over Ukraine and NATO. Still, it signaled a willingness to continue discussions aimed at calming tensions, and said there could be room for compromise in some areas potentially.

On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to speak to Russiaxe2x80x99s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Russiaxe2x80x99s official response to the U.S. remains unknown, at this point, although it has reportedly delivered a written response to the U.S.

Putinxe2x80x99s meeting with Orban Tuesday comes as European leaders step up their engagement with Moscow with Putin already having spoken to French President Emmanuel Macron and Italyxe2x80x99s Prime Minister Mario Draghi this week. On Wednesday, he is due to speak to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was visiting Ukraine Tuesday.

Putin has not publicly commented on Ukraine since Dec. 23, according to the New York Times, which noted that he had chided a British journalist who asked, during Putinxe2x80x99s annual news conference, whether he would guarantee that Russia would not invade Ukraine.

xe2x80x9cIt was the United States that came with its missiles to our home, to the doorstep of our home,xe2x80x9d Putin said.

xe2x80x9cAnd you demand from me some guarantees. You should give us guarantees. You! And right away, right now.xe2x80x9d