US sent Russia response on proposals on security guarantees
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Russia has been waiting for these responses for weeks, but the United States wants to keep them in private. However, it disclosed that they contain the West's concerns with regard to Ukraine as well.
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United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken
Moscow has received the US response to its proposals on security guarantees, the Russian foreign ministry announced Wednesday.
"On January 26, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander V. Grushko received US Ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan at his request," the foreign ministry said.
During their meeting, Sullivan gave the Russian diplomat the written response of the United States to the draft bilateral treaty on security guarantees submitted by Moscow, the ministry added.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that Sullivan delivered a written response to Russia's security proposals in Moscow.
According to the top diplomat, the US response made clear Washington had clear core principles it is committed to upholding, including Ukrainian integrity.
The response also includes concerns from the US and its allies regarding Russia's actions, and it contains US proposals where the two parties could find common ground.
Blinken highlighted that the United States "fully coordinated" with its European allies and Ukraine on its responses, noting that the west was ready to cooperate with Russia if the latter "chooses de-escalation in Ukraine."
As the US calls for de-escalation between Ukraine and Russia, Washington has continued supplying Kyiv with arms and "lethal aids," a word adopted by the western media to whitewash the lethal weapons the United States and its western allies are delivering to Ukraine.
"Lethal aid" includes fighter jets, frigates, anti-tank missiles, munitions, anti-armor missiles, and various other weapons to be used against Russia.
As NATO and the US bolster their presence in Ukraine through arms, Blinken announced there are more US deliveries of "aid" to Ukraine in the coming days.
However, he did put the possibility of meeting with his Russian counterpart in the coming days on the table.
No public responses
Despite delivering the responses requested by Moscow, Washington said it was not releasing its responses publicly, alleging that this would "give diplomacy the best chance to succeed."
Blinken expressed his hope that Russia does not make these responses public, once again asserting the US belief that this would give diplomacy the best shot at working.
Though the responses are not public, Blinken disclosed that they contain Washington's own security concerns, saying the US understands that Russia has security concerns.
Blinken stressed that the United States was ready to discuss both its and Russia's concerns.
The US top diplomat underlined that the parties to the quarrel were obligated to test the diplomatic path, arguing that it is far preferable for conflict resolution.
Part of the issues the United States is ready to put on the table of negotiations are the placement of offensive missiles in Ukraine, US and NATO maneuvers in Europe, and greater transparency.
NATO's response
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced Tuesday the alliance would send a written response to the Russian proposals for security guarantees this week in parallel with the United States.
"We are finalizing at NATO the proposals. The written document we will send to them later this week. We will do that in parallel with the United States," Stoltenberg told CNN.
Moscow has been demanding a written commitment that Ukraine would never be able to join NATO and that the alliance would not place any strategic military equipment in certain countries in the region surrounding Russia.
The Kremlin sees that it is best for Russian security that the alliance does not expand eastward and that Russia does not have any Western military activity in its vicinity.
Russia addressed the issue in the Geneva talks between the two parties.
The West is accusing Russia of planning an invasion of its western neighbor despite Moscow dismissing these allegations.
Russia insists that it has no intention of attacking any country, seeing the Western accusations as a pretext to deploy more NATO military equipment close to Russia's borders.
