After Moscow asked NATO to stop its eastward expansion, the United States and Russia will hold highly anticipated talks on European security and the conflict in Ukraine in early January.
A spokesperson for the National Security Council told AFP on Monday evening (December 27) that the talks with Russia will be held on January 10.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov confirmed the date on Tuesday and stated that the meeting will be held in Geneva. US President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin will hold their first summit in Geneva in June. .
The Kremlin is increasingly insisting that the West and NATO are dangerously close to Russia’s borders.
Earlier this month, Moscow issued comprehensive security requirements to the West, stating that NATO cannot accept new members and trying to prevent the United States from establishing new bases in the former Soviet republics.
“The United States looks forward to engaging with Russia,” a spokesperson for the National Security Council said.
“When we sit down and talk, Russia can put its worries on the table, and we will put our worries about Russian activities on the table.”
The Biden administration insists on taking actions simultaneously with European allies.
A US official said on Tuesday that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered the Harry Truman aircraft carrier battle group to stay in the Mediterranean and postpone its voyage to the Middle East.
The purpose of the order is “to assure our allies and partners of our commitment to collective defense,” the official said.
Representatives of Moscow and NATO are also expected to meet on January 12, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which includes Russia and the United States, will resolve the tension the next day.
The spokesperson of the OSCE established during the Cold War said that Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Law, who will take charge of the OSCE in the new year, will deliver a speech at the meeting.
Not just “wait, wait”
Negotiations took place after several weeks of tension. Washington accused Russia of gathering tens of thousands of troops around the former Soviet Union Ukraine and planning a winter invasion.
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov stated that Moscow will adopt a “hard line” in the talks, aimed at defending its interests and avoiding “concessions.”
At the United Nations, Russian Deputy Special Envoy Dmitry Poliansky said that the talks should be “serious,” but the Russian draft agreement is not an “ultimatum” to the United States.
He told reporters: “I don’t think our colleagues will get away with some nonsense.”
“This is a constructive proposal, but it is effective for everyone and in everyone’s interest,” he said.
Ukraine has been seeking to break away from Moscow’s sphere of influence and eventually join the NATO alliance.
Russia has occupied a large area of neighboring countries on the Crimean Peninsula and has been accused of inciting a separatist pro-Moscow rebellion in the country’s eastern industrial zone.
Russia’s deployment of tens of thousands of soldiers to the border has sparked concerns about a wider war between Kiev and its Western allies, which may include further seizure of Ukrainian territory.
Putin denied that he planned to attack neighboring countries, saying that the troop redeployment was to protect Russia from Western troops.
If Russia invades Ukraine, the United States and its European partners threaten to impose severe economic sanctions and also propose to hold negotiations.
A spokesperson for the National Security Council said that any agreement with Russia will not ignore Ukraine’s interests.
The negotiations will include “without our allies and partners, including Ukraine, our allies and partners,” the spokesperson said.
“President Biden’s attitude towards Ukraine is clear and consistent: unite the alliance on two tracks-deterrence and diplomacy. We are united as a coalition regarding the consequences that Russia will face if it takes action against Ukraine.”
There is no direct information on who will represent both parties on January 10.
This meeting was part of the strategic security dialogue initiative initiated by Biden and Putin, which initially focused on restoring the post-Cold War nuclear arms control treaty.
