NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced today, Wednesday, that the alliance is interested in resuming contacts with Russia in terms of diplomatic missions, but refuses to make any concessions regarding its future expansion. 

Speaking at a press conference after a meeting between Russia and NATO in Brussels, which is the first in two years and a half, Stoltenberg said that the alliance is interested in resuming the missions between the two parties, stressing that NATO is ready to resume the work of its mission in Moscow without preconditions. 

He said that NATO regrets Russia's decision to close its diplomatic mission to NATO and the NATO office in Moscow, confirming the intention to resume their work based on the alliance's trust in dialogue and with the acknowledgement for the need of a substantive dialogue. 

Stoltenberg's emphasis on dialogue springs from the warnings against military confrontation in Europe. 

NATO proposed holding a series of meetings and Russia responded positively to this initiative, though they said they needed time to respond to it, according to Stoltenberg. Furthermore, NATO plans to put foreward constructive proposals for the discussion and to achieve constructive results.

Stoltenberg acknowledged that the consultations were difficult and focused on Ukraine, adding that Russia requested the alliance to abandon the idea of Kiev joining it, but NATO refused to make concessions in this regard. 

Dialogue and containment

Stoltenberg, furthermore, expressed NATO's readiness to discuss steps with Russia regarding missiles and nuclear policies. 

NATO members announced, in a meeting with Russia, their commitment to an approach in relations to Moscow which provides for "dialogue and containment."

Dmitry Peskov, the Spokesperson for the Russian Presidency, responding to a question on whether or not the West is conducting negotiations with Russia on security guarantees from a position of strength, said that what Russia has seen recently is the framing of the ongoing negotiations with aggressive statements from Washington.

Peskov denied any connection between the military exercises currently taking place in the country and NATO consultations.

Russia's commitment to diplomacy 

The US and its European allies are holding talks with Moscow on Wednesday at the NATO headquarters to 'spare the region of the Russian threat to invade Ukraine.' 

"There's no reason to be optimistic," a senior European diplomat told AFP. "But the Russians are seriously engaged on the diplomatic track."

Moscow agreed to revive the NATO-Russia Council, an advisory body set up in 2002 and suspended in July 2019.

Russia will be represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, who described the meeting as a "moment of truth" in Russia-NATO relations.

Sherman will represent the US, while France will send François Delattre, director general of the French Foreign Ministry.

The Geneva talks were not conclusive, so the US and Russia remained committed to their positions. 

The new US Ambassador to NATO, Julian Smith, made it clear that the United States had not made any concessions, but has formulated proposals to reduce the risks of conflict and to embark on conventional and nuclear disarmament.

Washington assured Moscow that it does not intend to deploy offensive weapons in Ukraine, but it denied having any intention of disarming Europe, according to what the European diplomat confirmed.

It's too early to tell whether the Russians are serious about the path to diplomacy or not, or if they're prepared to negotiate seriously, White House Spokesperson Jen Psaki said. 

No negotiations without Europe

Yesterday, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman concluded the round of the Strategic Stability Dialogue with her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Geneva.

The US delegation heard Russia’s security concerns and shared its own, according to a statement by the US Foreign ministry.

On her account, Sherman clarified that the United States "would welcome genuine progress through diplomacy” with Russia.

US Deputy Secretary of State also made it clear that “if Russia further invades Ukraine, there will be significant costs and consequences.”

“We are very ready and aligned with our partners and allies to impose those severe costs. Those costs will include financial sanctions, and it’s been reported those sanctions will include key financial institutions, export controls that target key industries, enhancement of NATO force posture on allied territory, and increased security assistance to Ukraine,” she added.

Sherman further claimed that the US does not make decisions for other countries, reiterating the US stance that there will be no talks on European security without European allies and partners.