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– At the meeting in NATO – US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko and Deputy Secretary of Defense Gen. Alexander Fomin.
NATO leaders said at a meeting with Russia today that the alliance is ready to schedule a series of talks on various topics, including mutual missile reduction in Europe, but Moscow has made it clear that it is not ready for such a step, said Secretary General Jens. Stoltenberg after the meeting, which lasted several hours at headquarters in Brussels.
But according to him, the conversation was frank, useful and on several issues. Among them was a draft agreement with NATO proposed by Moscow in mid-December, which the Russians presented.
“There are significant differences between NATO and Russia allies. It will not be easy to overcome them, but it is a positive sign that both sides have sat down at the same table and addressed serious issues,” he said.
“Russia has said it wants time to respond with some of our proposals and we are ready to wait for it. Dialogue and talks are needed – including in bilateral formats and in the OSCE. We are also grateful for the close consultations with the United States before and after the talks with the Russians in Geneva, “Stoltenberg said. “But a serious agreement, of course, requires reducing tensions over Ukraine on the part of Russia. This is the easiest way, we are ready to discuss our concerns and we have always called on Moscow to follow this path,” he added.
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On several occasions, after questions from journalists, Stoltenberg pointed out that the Russian delegation had been told that there were things to discuss on their list of demands, but that they did not include fundamental principles of European security, including Ukraine’s right to apply. and become a member of the alliance if he so desires. “This is the principle of respecting borders and NATO will not compromise with the sovereignty of states and the right of allies to defend themselves. Russia has troops in Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova without the consent of the authorities in these countries and are unwanted there,” Stoltenberg reminded. .
“Ukraine is a sovereign state, it is not a threat to Russia – the largest land power in Europe – and it can decide what it wants. Russia is already using force against Ukraine and occupying Crimea in 2014 and controlling Donbass through separatists. on the contrary, Russia is the aggressor and is accumulating tens of thousands of troops, drones and artillery near Ukraine. ”
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Stoltenberg also cited the recent position of neutral Sweden and Finland on Russia’s insistence: countries in Europe. The idea that you can’t do what you want is to return to spheres of influence – Russia’s neighbors need to realize that this is a dangerous path. “
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US commentary
NATO is speaking with one voice today and Russia has been told it needs to ease tensions, said Wendy Sherman, deputy secretary of state, who spoke with a Russian delegation in Geneva on Monday. “The United States stands firmly on nothing for you without you, including Ukraine, Europe, NATO and the OSCE,” she said.
“Today’s council met for the first time since 2019 and the Russians were clearly and unequivocally told that NATO would not close its doors. It has never expanded by force, coercion and deception. It is the sovereign right of the parties to want to become members. “The Union is not looking for confrontation and it is not a threat to Russia. It is Russia that is currently creating a mess for Ukraine, Europe and all of you.”
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She added: “If Russia withdraws from the talks, then it has never wanted them seriously. If it invades Ukraine, measures will follow, far beyond the ensuing aggression in 2014. We are ready to continue contacts, but Russia must make a difficult choice whether to continue on the path of negotiations. We all hope that President Vladimir Putin will choose peace and security. ”
Sherman explained that these meetings were just the beginning, to which they replied that “NATO will not stop expanding, will not raise its infrastructure to the level of 1997, nothing from Europe will be taken back. If it is concerned about security, Russia is a vast country, the largest conventional power in Europe, with the United States we are the largest nuclear power, a permanent member of the UN Security Council is … and is considered threatened by Ukraine, a still developing democracy? ”
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According to her, the Russian delegation did not undertake to reduce tensions or say that it would increase them.
Asked how united NATO is in Hungary’s reluctance to support Ukrainian membership some time ago, Sherman said that today each of the alliance’s allies, “without exception,” has reiterated the alliance’s principled position. “Membership is a process, it takes time, there is a lot of work to be done to achieve high NATO standards, we will see if Ukraine, Georgia and others will meet them. And the reaction of Sweden and Finland is indicative of what Putin has caused in Europe.”
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I did not hear anything new today, including because we talked for almost 8 hours in Geneva, but the important thing is that the Russians are not ready, but they did not reject the offer for more meetings, she added. “Moscow has heard from all allies today that it is very difficult to talk when there are 100,000 Russian troops to Ukraine, so it needs to reduce tensions.”
According to her, the fact that the Russian delegation sat at the same table with 30 allies of the alliance and also spoke, shows that there is a lot of work to be done, progress can be made, but that she can not say whether this week’s meetings are just a spectacle. I don’t think the Russians are quite sure right now, Sherman added.
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At Stoltenberg’s press conference, the closed mission of Russia to NATO and NATO to Moscow was discussed, with the Secretary General saying that the topic had been discussed and that this channel of communication should be reopened, “because it helps the dialogue we have. need for minimal infrastructure “We are ready to prepare the meetings with Russia, which will be easier with our office in Moscow, but we will do without it,” he added.
In October, NATO removed eight Russian mission staff and prevented two more positions from being filled because they were working for intelligence. As this means halving the staff to 10, Russia’s foreign ministry has announced it is closing its permanent representation in the alliance, as well as the work of the NATO military mission and information office in Moscow. The plans are for the Belgian ambassador to keep in touch.
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Stoltenberg was also asked to comment on NATO’s readiness for war in Europe: “And how close are we to a new military conflict?”
Yes, there is an increased risk of armed conflict, but that is why there are meetings like today’s, said the Secretary General. “It is dangerous to speculate on the risk of war,” he reminded.
