According to the EU, the OSCE would be a “suitable forum” for new negotiations, the draft states.
European Union is ready to continue negotiations with Russia on the military forces assembled on Ukraine’s borders, the Union intends to communicate in its reply letter to Russia.
Online magazine Politico states that it has received a draft letter, which is the EU’s joint response to Russia’s recent request for clarification from EU countries. The reply was signed by the High Representative of the Union for External Relations Josep Borrell.
“We urge Russia to ease tensions and withdraw its military strength from and around Ukraine and Belarus,” the draft seen by Politico reads.
It is not known when the EU is due to send a reply. The content of the draft may still change.
Union expresses its “serious concern” about the current situation in Ukraine. According to the EU, tensions and disagreements must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
The reply emphasizes the negotiations with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). According to the EU, the OSCE would be a “suitable forum” for further negotiations.
All EU countries are members of the OSCE, but only 21 are members of NATO.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrovin in the letter, Russia demanded that the West clarify its positions in various international agreements. The EU’s response letter states that future negotiations “would provide an opportunity to address this issue”.
Read more: Russia publishes Lavrov letter: Accuses Western countries of failing to comply with OSCE agreements and urges all countries to respond to Russia
Russia has brought some 100,000 troops to the Ukrainian border in recent months. Russia and Belarus will hold a joint military exercise in Belarus this month.
Russia, for its part, has called on NATO and its allies to withdraw from Eastern Europe. Russia does not want NATO to expand further east, which in practice would mean preventing Ukraine’s possible membership. NATO and the West have not agreed to the demands.
“Together with our NATO partners, we in the European Union are prepared to continue our dialogue with Russia on ways to strengthen the security of all,” the draft EU response said.
Borrell said in Washington on Tuesday that Lavrov sent his letter to individual EU countries, not to the Union as an institution, because Russia does not recognize the EU as a party in the Ukraine talks. However, the EU wanted a united response.
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