Those discussions, which will start on January 10, aim to de-escalate tensions around Ukraine. Kiev and its Western allies accuse Moscow having massed tens of thousands of soldiers at its border.
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The United States and Russia announced Tuesday, December 28, that they had agreed to hold talks on Ukraine and security in Europe on January 10. These discussions aim to allow a de-escalation of tensions around Ukraine. Kiev and its Western allies accuse Moscow of having massed tens of thousands of soldiers on its border.
At the top of the Russian demands, formulated in draft treaties handed over to the United States and NATO, the prohibition of any future expansion of the Atlantic Alliance as well as of any military cooperation in what Russia considers its area influence.
“January 10 will be the main day for Russian-American bilateral consultations” planned in Geneva, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Riabkov told Tass news on Tuesday, saying that an agreement will not be reached in “just one day”. Shortly before, a spokesman for the National Security Council of the United States had announced to AFP that the negotiations of the 10th would be followed in particular on January 12 by a NATO-Russia meeting.
Moscow denies any belligerent inclination and presents itself on the contrary as the target of “Provocation” Westerners who support Ukraine politically and militarily. The Kremlin calls for “security guarantees”, in particular NATO’s commitment not to expand into the former USSR, especially Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin last week brandished the threat of measures “military and technical “ if his demands were not heard.