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Without consensus and with several demands on the table, the meeting between the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, ended after their meeting in Geneva on January 21 due to the crisis between Moscow and Russia. Kiev. Washington is scheduled to issue a written response to the Kremlin’s demands next week. On the one hand, Moscow demands the withdrawal of NATO troops from Eastern Europe and the US for proof that Moscow does not plan to invade Ukraine.
The tension between Russia and Ukraine continues. Despite the expectation of an agreement during the meeting on January 21 between the head of US diplomacy, Antony Blinken, and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, the meeting ended without consensus but with several demands.
During the meeting, the Russian government demanded the withdrawal of NATO armed forces from Bulgaria and Romania, while the United States defended the freedom of the countries to decide to join NATO.
Thus, a firm statement by Washington on the list of demands that Moscow issued to the military alliance on December 17 remains uncertain. In the document, the Kremlin mainly demands that the foreign military leave Eastern Europe and guarantee that Ukraine would never join the transatlantic defense organization.
That demand was described at the time by the Joe Biden Administration as something “unacceptable”.
“I cannot say if we are on the right path or not (…) We will understand when we receive the written response from the United States to all our proposals,” Lavrov warned after the meeting and assured that the United States agreed to respond next week.
These talks are considered a possible last effort to reach a solution through diplomatic channels and avoid any military confrontation between Russia, the United States and NATO, with troops from European Union countries.
With more than 100,000 Russian soldiers, according to Kiev estimates, concentrated near Ukraine, the West fears that Moscow is preparing an invasion, although Russia denies this.
The United States and its allies are striving to present a united front to prevent it or coordinate a strong response if necessary.
Lavrov described the talks this Friday as “constructive and useful”, but warned that his government expects “concrete answers to our concrete proposals”.
Blinken: “This is a critical moment”
During the meeting, Blinken emphasized that his country is in favor of diplomacy and dialogue, but that at the same time it is immersed in a path of “defense and deterrence.”
“We do not expect to resolve our differences here today. But I hope and hope that we can test whether the path of diplomacy or dialogue is still open (…) This is a critical moment, “Blinken acknowledged to Lavrov before speaking in private.
Blinken later said that his talks with Lavrov were “frank and substantive,” adding that he outlined several US ideas to increase security and find common ground.
Washington and its allies have repeatedly promised “harsh” consequences, such as scathing economic sanctions, though it has so far avoided talk of military action against Russia if an invasion is carried out.
Meanwhile, Russia’s state news agencies stress that Moscow could take a few weeks to study Washington’s response, a response on which the next steps in a possible conflict that has raised alarms about its consequences at the global level will depend.
With Reuters, AP and local media
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