The Ukrainian presidency on Tuesday 11 January hailed the “effortsby the United States, NATO and Russia aimed at defusing tensions around Ukraine, as part of a series of Russian-Western negotiations this week.
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“We can only welcome the intentions and efforts of the United States and Russia, NATO and Russia to reduce tensions and resolve all common issues at the negotiating table.Presidential spokesman Serguii Nikiforov said in a video message sent to AFP. Tensions around Ukraine, which has been fighting pro-Russian separatists in the east since 2014, have been high for months as Russia, accused of planning an attack, has massed troops on the border.
Russia, for its part, wants Western guarantees on a halt to the enlargement of NATO to its borders, in particular to Ukraine. Moscow and Washington began Monday in Geneva a first round of negotiations to try to defuse this crisis. While no breakthrough has been announced, the two powers have agreed to continue their dialogue to give diplomacy a chance.
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“We trust our partners and their statements that no decision on the fate of Ukraine will be taken behind our backscommented Sergey Nikiforov. According to him, Kyiv also “any interest in settling the conflict as soon as possiblein eastern Ukraine,especially by peaceful means“. “We are ready to seek solutions in all formats“, he added.
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