(Moscow) Discussions between the United States and Russia on the latter’s demands for guarantees from the West that NATO will not integrate Ukraine into its ranks will resume immediately after the holiday season the Russian Foreign Minister said on Monday.
“It is with the United States that we will conduct the main work of negotiations, which will begin immediately after the New Year’s festivities,” Sergey Lavrov said in an interview on Monday. In Russia, New Year celebrations last ten days, until January 9.
Earlier this month, Moscow submitted a security discussion paper to NATO. Russia notably asks that the Western allies give up integrating Ukraine or any other state resulting from the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). She also wants NATO to withdraw its troops to Central and Eastern Europe.
Washington and its allies refused to make such promises, but agreed to enter into negotiations.
Among its demands, Moscow has also formulated a proposal for the signing of a Russian-American security agreement as well as a security agreement with NATO.
The talks come amid heightened tensions as Russian troops continue to deploy near the border with Ukraine, raising fears of an invasion.
Moscow has denied any intention to invade its neighbor, but demands legal guarantees preventing NATO from expanding into Ukraine or deploying military equipment there.
For Minister Lavrov, it is important “that our proposals do not turn into endless negotiations for which the West is recognized. There must be a result to all these diplomatic efforts ”.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has called a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council on January 12, a representative of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization confirmed last Saturday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Monday that the meeting will take place. He called the meeting “important”, but said the details needed to be worked out and the date could change.