The US administration does not intend to give in to Russia in matters of security guarantees, declared US State Department spokesman Ned Price. Also, the US authorities refuse to compromise on NATO’s “open door” policy, he said.
You to me, I to you
Price emphasized that any steps taken by Washington must be mutual. According to him, “Russia will also have to do something to ensure security.”
The key point here is that any steps we take will not be concessions – they will have to be taken on a reciprocal basis.
At the same time, Price noted that in recent weeks the White House “sincerely and steadily” chose the path of diplomacy and dialogue on the situation around Ukraine. He clarified that the United States intends to continue to adhere to this policy, but the authorities are ready for any development of events. In addition, any action by the States will be preceded by consultations with their allies and partners, including Ukraine.
Related materials:
waiting for an answer
Price also said that the US would respond to Russia’s proposals for security guarantees this week. He explained that providing a response to Moscow is considered in Washington as the next step in the contacts between the two countries. In addition, the United States shared its ideas with European allies and received a reaction from them, which will be included in the written response of the States, the State Department spokesman said.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow had demanded written responses from the United States on each item of the draft security guarantees. She emphasized Russia’s openness and cooperation in its actions, while Washington is pursuing aggressive rhetoric and using Ukraine as an instrument of influence for its own purposes.
Strengthening the NATO flank
The announcement about the path of diplomacy came amid heightened readiness for the deployment of US forces. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said earlier that U.S. troops in Europe could be reinforced ahead of a proposed Russian invasion of Ukraine due to the lack of a de-escalation of the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
Related materials:
He clarified that no decision had yet been made on the transfer of forces to Europe, but the head of the US Department of Defense, Lloyd Austin, put the grouping of US troops on high alert for deployment. We are talking about 8.5 thousand soldiers.
On January 24, it became known that US President Joe Biden allowed the deployment of thousands of US military, aviation and navy in the Baltic countries and Eastern Europe against the backdrop of the situation with Ukraine. According to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, Washington has been negotiating with European partners for several weeks to provide additional support in the context of the situation around Ukraine.
#State #Department #refused #concessions #Russia #security #issues