NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday on the US broadcaster CNN that the proposals for a corresponding document were currently being finalized, “which we will send to you in the course of this week. We will do this in parallel with the United States.” Moscow is demanding security guarantees from NATO and the USA. The Western states, in turn, are demanding that Russia withdraw the troops that have been massed on the border with Ukraine.
Stoltenberg said it would make it clear to the Russian side “that we are ready to sit down.” Arms control, transparency in military activities or risk reduction mechanisms could be discussed. They are also willing to listen to Russian concerns. “But we are not prepared to compromise on the basic principles.” This includes the right of every nation in Europe to decide for itself which alliances it wants to join. Russia is demanding an end to NATO’s eastward expansion and wants in particular to prevent Ukraine from becoming part of the western defense alliance.
Further steps only after US response
When asked Tuesday, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki did not say when a US response to Russia’s concerns would be delivered. As part of diplomatic negotiations, such documents would not normally be made public, Psaki said. President Joe Biden is involved in the process.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Russian colleague Sergei Lavrov met in Geneva last Friday for crisis talks. Blinken then promised a US response to Russian security concerns this week. Lavrov said after the meeting that further steps should then be discussed. (SDA)