This is stated in the message of the speaker of the US State Department Ned Price, published on the US Foreign Office website.
It is noted that the parties “confirmed the unwavering support of the United States and the EU for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
“The Deputy Secretary of State thanked the committee for their work to ensure that any further Russian military intervention in Ukraine would incur significant costs for the Russian Federation, including the adoption of coordinated economic measures,” Price said.
On the evening of January 10 in Geneva talks between the US and Russia according to Moscow’s demands for “security guarantees”. The Russian delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, the US delegation by Sherman. The negotiations were held in a closed format, they lasted approximately 7.5 hours, excluding a lunch break.
American delegation during negotiations made claims to Russia in connection with the pulling together of Russian troops to the Russian-Ukrainian border. Sherman, after negotiations, stated that NATO’s open door principle is non-negotiable. She also said that the Russian side at the talks did not give a direct answer to the question about whether she is ready to de-escalate the situation on the border with Ukraine.
Following the meeting, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken stated that achieve real progress in the negotiations it will be difficult with the Russian Federation if it does not change its rhetoric and continue to escalate its military buildup.
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced categorical lack of progress in negotiations with the United States on the issue of Ukraine’s membership in NATO.
December 10, 2021 in the background Russian troop build-up near the border with Ukraine and in the occupied territories, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation issued a statement in which Russia demanded from the North Atlantic Alliance officially withdraw the promise to Ukraine to join NATO.
Alliance General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg rejected this claim. “NATO’s relations with Ukraine will be decided by 30 NATO allies and Ukraine – and no one else,” he stressed.
December 17 Russian Foreign Ministry circulated Russian draft treaty handed over to Washington with the United States and agreements with NATO on so-called security guarantees. In particular, they say that the United States must commit to exclude further NATO expansion “eastward”, refuse to admit to the Alliance states that were previously part of the USSR.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 23 at the annual press conference answered the question Will Russia attack Ukraine. According to him, Moscow’s actions “will not depend on the course of negotiations [о продвижении НАТО на восток]but from the unconditional security of Russia today and in the historical perspective.
The US State Department reported that will hold talks with Moscow in January on these requirements: on January 10, a dialogue was held between the United States and the Russian Federation on strategic stability; on January 12, Russia and NATO plan to hold a meeting at the level of the Russia-NATO Council, and on January 13, a meeting of representatives of the Russian Federation and the OSCE is scheduled.
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