After NATO proposals: Kremlin reaction expected
Created: 01/27/2022 05:02
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a briefing on Russia and Ukraine.
© Brendan Smialowski/Pool AFP/AP/dpa
NATO and US offer Moscow talks over security concerns
However, they do not want to shake “core principles” such as NATO's open door.
The Ukraine conflict remains extremely dangerous.
Washington/Brussels/Moscow - After the NATO countries submitted proposals for improving relations with Russia, the Kremlin's reaction is being eagerly awaited.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko kept a low profile on Wednesday evening and simply said: “We read.
Study.” The NATO states finally examined Moscow’s proposals “for almost a month and a half”.
Representatives of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany met in Paris for more than eight hours of talks.
The meeting did not bring any concrete results in the Ukraine conflict.
The United States again warned Russia of "massive consequences" in the event of an invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
Core principles are defined
On Wednesday, NATO and the United States responded in writing to Moscow's demands for guarantees of security in Europe.
Neither NATO nor the United States showed any willingness to negotiate when Russia demanded commitments to end NATO's eastward expansion.
It was made clear to Moscow "that there are core principles that we are committed to upholding and defending," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
These included Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the right of states to choose their own alliances.
NATO offered Russia negotiations on improving relations. "We are ready to listen to Russia's concerns and to have a real discussion on how to preserve and strengthen the fundamental principles of European security (...)," said Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. But this also includes the right of all states to decide for themselves on their way. Blinken said there was room for maneuver with Moscow, for example in maneuvers in Europe or in arms control.
According to Stoltenberg, NATO has specifically proposed to the Russian government that the representations in Moscow and Brussels, which were closed after a dispute over espionage, be reopened.
In addition, they want to make full use of the existing military communication channels to promote transparency and reduce risks.
Specifically, one proposes, as a first step, mutual briefings on maneuvers and nuclear policy in the NATO-Russia Council.
Kremlin demands security guarantees
Last month, Russia submitted draft agreements to NATO and the United States in which the Kremlin demands security guarantees in Europe.
Among other things, it calls for an end to the eastward expansion of NATO, which Russia sees as a threat.
In particular, the Kremlin wants to prevent Ukraine from being included in the western defense alliance.
The US and NATO, in turn, suspect Russian President Vladimir Putin of planning an invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
The Kremlin rejects this.
The Kremlin had flanked its demands on the West with a threatening deployment of troops on the border with Ukraine.
According to the findings of Western secret services, Russia recently continued its troop deployment at high speed.
It can be assumed that there are now 112,000 to 120,000 soldiers in the area, said a senior intelligence representative from the German Press Agency.
This does not include the armed forces of the Russian-controlled separatists in Donbass.
They are estimated at around 35,000.
The secret service official did not want to comment specifically on the question of how many other Russian soldiers are still on the march.
However, he emphasized that the strength of the Russian troops in the border area with Ukraine could increase significantly again in the coming weeks.
Blink awaits talks with Lavrov
Neither NATO nor the US government published the documents they sent to Moscow.
Blinken stressed that the US government's response to Moscow's concerns was fully coordinated with Ukraine and European allies.
"We got their input and incorporated it into the final version that was sent to Moscow." He expects to talk to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about it in the coming days.
The Russian foreign policy expert Leonid Slutsky emphasized that the letters from Brussels and Washington must first be examined.
"But according to the statements of the Secretary General of the Alliance and the US Secretary of State, Russia's security concerns were not taken into account," he said.
Blinken was "absolutely convinced" of German solidarity in the Ukraine conflict.
“I see a very strong solidarity about the consequences that Russia will face if it renews its aggression against Ukraine, across the board.
And that includes Germany,” he said.
Blinken responded to the question of criticism of Germany's plan to deliver 5,000 military helmets to Ukraine.
German delivery "an absolute joke"
In Ukraine - which had demanded large-scale deliveries of weapons to defend against a possible Russian attack - criticism of the German contribution was voiced.
"5000 helmets are an absolute joke," said Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko to the "Bild" newspaper.
“What does Germany want to send next in support?
Pillows?” The United States and Great Britain, among others, supply the Ukrainian army with weapons.
more on the subject
NATO-Russia Council ends without concrete rapprochement
Ukraine crisis: US offers Russia disarmament talks
NATO countries discuss Russia in special session
In view of the increasing escalation in the Ukraine conflict, arms deliveries are also being discussed in Moscow - to the pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
The Kremlin's United Russia party proposed officially supplying the breakaway regions in Luhansk and Donetsk with military supplies.
dpa
