Russian soldiers in Kazakhstan belonging to the Mission of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (ODKB) military alliance. The photo was provided by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Image: Imago
Before the talks with American representatives in Geneva, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister once again called for a guarantee that NATO would not be expanded. He also made it clear what Moscow does not want to talk about.
VBefore negotiations with the United States this Monday in Geneva, Russia has again called for binding security agreements with NATO. “We need guarantees that NATO will not expand,” said Vice Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Sunday for the Interfax agency.
Moscow’s expectations of the upcoming talks are “realistic,” said Ryabkov. “According to the signals that we have heard from Washington and Brussels in the past few days, it would be naive to assume progress – especially rapid -.” The 61-year-old politician also said that Russia did not intend to participate to speak to the American representatives about the unrest in Kazakhstan, where Moscow has also sent soldiers.
The meeting in Geneva takes place against the background of the Ukraine crisis. The government in Washington accuses Russia of building troops in areas on the border with Ukraine. It is feared that Russian soldiers could invade the former Soviet republic. Russia denies such plans and, for its part, is primarily opposed to Ukraine joining NATO. A meeting of the NATO-Russia Council is scheduled for January 12 in Brussels – the first in two and a half years.
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