Today at 19:43
Russia threatens Ukraine and calls into question Europe’s security architecture. Russia is building up its military power on the Ukrainian border and intends to start hostilities if its demands are not met.
This was stated by the head of European Union diplomacy, Josep Borrell, in his blog, UA reports.
“The ambition of the Russian authorities is to challenge the post-Cold War political and security order. Moscow wants to return to the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act, which accompanied NATO enlargement through Central and Eastern Europe and the 1990 Charter of Paris, which codified post-Cold War European security principles” – Borrell said.
According to him, Russia questions three political principles:
- the right of each state to freely choose whether to belong or not to belong to an international organization and to be a party to treaties or alliances, as recognized by the Charter of Paris;
- non-use of force;
- respect for the territorial integrity of all states.
Borrell also believes that Russia is insisting on a strategic severing of ties between the United States and Europe.
He notes that attempts are being made to prevent such an outcome. On Monday, January 10, talks were held between the United States and Russia in Geneva, followed by Russia-NATO talks on Wednesday, January 12, in Brussels.
“The positions remain far apart, but we can foresee the continuation of a series of intensive, multi-level negotiations and consultations in which the EU will continue to play its full role” – Borrell said.
A meeting of the foreign and defense ministers is also planned this week in Brest (January 13-14, – ed.).
“We will work on the specific role and contribution of the EU. We need to come up with clear positions on what we want to achieve in these discussions on the architecture of European security, and, moreover, with concrete actions and contributions. To achieve this goal, we Europeans must unite and formulate our response should Russia fulfill its threats to Ukraine or to the broader order of European security” – Borrell wrote.
To remind, the United States demands to stop or explain the military exercises of Russia near the borders of Ukraine.
