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The United States received Russia’s response to Washington’s security proposals on Thursday when it was delivered to U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan in Moscow, a senior U.S. State Department official said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry delivered a ten-page document, stating that the US “violated” Russia’s proposals for security guarantees in the direction of creating advantages for Washington and its allies, “ignored the package nature of the proposals, choosing topics convenient for itself.”
The Kremlin “emphasized the unacceptability of demands to withdraw troops from certain areas in Russia.”
Moscow continues to insist that in order to de-escalate around Ukraine, “Kyiv must comply with the Minsk agreements, stop deliveries of weapons to Ukraine and withdraw those already supplied, withdraw all Western advisers and instructors, and NATO abandon exercises with Ukraine.”
In response, Russia also insists on the withdrawal of all US forces and weapons from Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltic countries.
In December 2021, Russian President Putin put forward sweeping security demands to the US and NATO. Washington sent Russia a written response, rejecting some of Moscow’s key proposals, including a ban on Ukraine joining NATO. Russia said it was not satisfied with the US reply but stressed it was possible to move forward on certain issues.
Read also: 60% of Europeans believe NATO should come to Ukraine’s defence if Russia invades, – poll
Three out of fifteen former Soviet republics have become members of NATO. Ukraine has close relations with the Alliance, and since 2014, its cooperation with the body has enchased. The Kremlin expected to demand a guarantee that NATO won’t expand east, so Ukraine and Georgia would not join the Alliance. However, Biden’s administration states that NATO adheres to the open doors policy.
Read also: Russia stages pretext for attack after reports of multiple shelling incidents, – NATO
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said the alliance is concerned that Russia is “trying to stage a pretext for an armed attack against Ukraine”.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg reaffirmed Ukraine’s right to join NATO as outlined at the Bucharest summit in 2008. He stated this during his press conference on February 15, when answering journalists’ questions.
“The Bucharest decision stands. Nato strongly believes that all nations have the right to choose their own path,” Stoltenberg assured.
