Moscow submitted draft security documents earlier this month, calling on NATO to reject membership of Ukraine and other former Soviet republics, and to roll back the alliance’s military deployment in Central and Eastern Europe.
Putin called on Western countries to move quickly to meet his demands, warning that Moscow would have to take “appropriate military-technical measures” if the West continued what he called “a path of aggression on the doorstep of our homeland.”
In response to a question about Moscow’s response, Putin said in remarks broadcast on Russian state television on Sunday: “The response may be varied. It will depend on the proposals that our military experts will present to me.”
The United States and its allies refused to provide the kind of guarantee that Putin is demanding on Ukraine, citing the NATO principle that allows membership to any eligible country.
However, they agreed to start security talks with Russia next month to discuss its concerns. Putin said that talks with the United States will be held in Geneva.
In parallel, negotiations are scheduled between Russia and NATO, and broader discussions are expected under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Putin said, in comments broadcast on Sunday, that Russia had presented its demands in the hope of obtaining a constructive response from the West.
He added, “We did not submit this matter to reach a dead end, but to reach a negotiated diplomatic outcome that will be specified in legally binding documents.”
Putin also stressed that granting NATO membership to Ukraine or deploying the alliance’s weapons there is a red line for Moscow that the West will not allow to cross.
“We have no way back,” he said, adding that NATO could deploy missiles in Ukraine that would take only four or five minutes to reach Moscow.
“They pushed us to the point where we can’t cross. They took us to the point where we simply have to tell them: ‘Stop,'” he added.
Putin also expressed concern that the United States and its allies could try to prolong the security talks and use them as a cover to continue the military buildup near Russia.
He noted that Russia announced its security demands to make them known to the public and to increase pressure on the United States and its allies to negotiate a security agreement.
“We have only one goal, which is to reach agreements that will ensure the security of Russia and its citizens now and in a long-term perspective,” he said.
The Kremlin has made its security demands amid tensions over Russia’s military build-up near Ukraine in recent weeks that has fueled Western fears of a possible invasion.
US President Joe Biden warned his Russian counterpart in a video call earlier this month that Russia would face “serious consequences” if it attacked Ukraine.
Russia has denied intending to invade, and in turn has accused Ukraine of plotting to try to retake the territories currently under the control of Moscow-backed rebels by force. Ukraine denied the allegations.
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