Washington ready for talks with Moscow
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The White House National Security Advisor says the US is prepared for dialogue with Russia over the latter's security demands.
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US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan
The White House National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, said on Friday that the US is prepared for dialogue with Russia over the latter's security demands.
The US will also present its own concerns, Sullivan said at an event organized by the Council on Foreign Relations.
Russia submitted its draft proposals on security guarantees on Friday, including that NATO must commit to not expanding further, such as in Ukraine, and should also commit to abandoning military activities in the country as well as in Eastern Europe, Transcaucasia, and Central Asia. Another proposal stipulates that Russia and NATO should not deploy intermediate- and short-range missiles in areas where they can hit each other's territory.
Tensions have been rising between NATO and Russia on the latter's Western border, especially with regard to Ukraine, with the US and its allies repeatedly accusing Russia of deploying troops and military equipment near the border with Ukraine, despite the latter's denial of the claims. In the meantime, Russia considers NATO's military activities near its borders a national security threat, thus it has the right to defend its security.
Guterres welcomes US-Russian dialogue
With the security proposals now submitted and talks increasing between the two sides, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the dialogue between Russia and the US on NATO security arrangements, according to UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq.
"The Secretary-General has taken [note] of the relevant media reports. We welcome dialogue, at various levels, between the Russian Federation and the United States, to address differences, de-escalate tensions, and safeguard regional peace," Haq said.
Will the rising tensions de-escalate?
This comes amid rising tensions between Russia and the US after Moscow published security proposals addressed to NATO and Washington, calling for urgent talks with the latter.
The proposals, which Russia says are vital for its security, would obligate the US and its allies to suspend NATO's eastward expansion to include other ex-Soviet countries and to renege on a 2008 pledge to admit Ukraine and Georgia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was ready to hold talks with the United States "as early as Saturday."
In an interview for Al Mayadeen, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stressed that Moscow prefers to be optimistic about the draft, hoping that the other side would accept the search for solutions.
It is worth noting that the publication of the draft agreements comes as the West repeatedly accuses Moscow of a troop buildup on the border with Ukraine and preparing for a military invasion - accusations Russia has long been denying.
The West had previously threatened Russia with "heavy sanctions", but President Vladimir Putin said earlier this month Moscow pursues a peaceful foreign policy; however, it has the right to defend its security.
