First modification:
A statement issued by the office of Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US representative to the United Nations Organization, expresses the request of the American Union to discuss the current crisis in the organization for the first time. On the other hand, Russia does not rule out dialogue as an instrument to achieve an understanding in the midst of the situation.
The United States goes to the United Nations. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the country’s representative before the international organization, points out the interest of the Joe Biden administration in discussing what he defined as “the threatening behavior” of Russia towards Ukraine.
“Russia is participating in other destabilizing acts directed at Ukraine, which represents a clear threat to international peace and security and the UN Charter (…) This is not a time to wait and see. The council’s full attention is needed now, and we look forward to a direct and helpful discussion on Monday,” read part of the statement issued.
The members of the UNSC must squarely examine the facts and consider what is at stake for Ukraine, for Russia, for Europe, and for the international order should Russia further invade Ukraine. This is not a moment to wait and see. The Council’s full attention is needed now. https://t.co/QEBIEe7cES
—Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) January 27, 2022
The proposed meeting will take place a day before Russia assumes the rotating presidency of the body, which, until January 31, is held by Norway.
The US request is presented shortly after, together with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), they presented the response to the security guarantees requested by Moscow.
In this response, both the United States and the alliance rejected the main Russian demands, including the request that Ukraine not be part of NATO.
On this, the spokesman for the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov indicated that the response “leaves little ground for optimism.”
“There are always prospects of continuing a dialogue, it is in the interest of both us and the Americans,” Peskov said during a meeting with journalists.
Relations between Russia and the West have been affected after the deployment by Moscow of thousands of troops on the border with Ukraine, but at all times it has denied invasion plans.
The tension between Russia and Ukraine, which dates back more than 30 years with the fall of the Soviet Union, has increased since 2014 when Russian forces invaded the Crimean peninsula, a strategic area because it is considered Russia’s exit to the Black Sea and that Russia lost during World War II.
This invasion has generated a series of economic sanctions against Russia to pressure for the return of the territory, something that has not materialized yet.