Russia claims to have agreed to start negotiations with the United States early next year to discuss Moscow’s requirements for European “security guarantees,” including a ban on Ukraine from joining the NATO military alliance.
If confirmed, negotiations will begin a controversial effort to avoid Russia’s offensive in Ukraine this winter, because the governments of Kiev and Eastern Europe demand not to be excluded from any agreement with Moscow that affects their interests.
Moscow has Moving tanks and cannons Move towards the border with Ukraine with a clear threat of invasion, Published a controversial list The security guarantees in the draft treaty with NATO are described by its leadership as unacceptable.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced the talks in an interview with RT TV on Wednesday. He said that the talks will begin “early next year”.
“The first round will be in the form of bilateral contacts between us and US negotiators. They have been appointed and are acceptable to both parties,” Lavrov told the Russian state-backed broadcaster.
The exact agenda and scope of the talks have not yet been made public, and the Kremlin may be keen to exaggerate its diplomatic efforts because it is preparing to launch a potential attack on Ukraine.
The White House pointed out that Emily Horne, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, said Monday that the national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov (Yuri Ushakov) A statement was issued during the call.
Sullivan “shows that the United States is prepared to participate in diplomacy through multiple channels, including bilateral contacts, NATO-Russia Council and OSCE,” Horn said. “He made it clear that any dialogue must be based on reciprocity, resolve our concerns about Russia’s actions, and fully coordinate with our European allies and partners.
“He also pointed out that substantive progress can only happen in an environment of downgrade, not upgrade.”
When asked about the call, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters: “This is consistent with our ongoing outreach and contacts with Russia, Ukraine, Europe, and ours during the last week.”
Psaki added on Wednesday: “Open discussions and participation are ongoing, we hope to continue, we hope to continue.”
Lavrov said in an interview: “We don’t want war. We don’t need conflict, and hope that others will not see conflict as a desirable course of action.”
He also said that similar talks will be held with NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The details of these talks were also not given.
The Kremlin spokesperson also welcomed the talks and told reporters: “This kind of preparations [for talks] It has been reiterated to be good. He warned that Russia is cautious about delayed discussions and is not interested in participating in a “marathon.”
On Tuesday, Vladimir Putin appeared very frustrated because he Attacking NATO’s expansion Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, he told his supreme military commander that the growing influence of the West in Ukraine has made Russia “nowhere to go”, and he will not stand by and “stand by.”
Last week, Russia issued a draft of a potential treaty with NATO, requiring the military alliance to withdraw all troops and infrastructure from European countries that joined the alliance after 1997. Officials said that the Russian proposal undermined their sovereignty and security.
NATO officials said that the organization’s secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday that the military alliance will require a NATO-Russia council meeting early next year, and any negotiations with Moscow must allow the alliance All European members participated. And Ukraine.
NATO referred to Stoltenberg’s speech at a press conference with the Prime Minister of Romania on Tuesday. He said: “Any dialogue with Russia needs to be based on the core principles of European security and address NATO’s concerns about Russian operations. It needs to be negotiated with NATO’s European partners, including Ukraine.”
A NATO official stated that negotiations must be conducted on a reciprocal basis and that NATO’s concerns about Russia’s military buildup and other actions must be addressed, which is consistent with the joint statement reached by the alliance’s North Atlantic Council last week.
