“We are ready to discuss security and strategic issues with Russia,” the official said. “We are in talks with European allies and partners, and we will be in touch with the Russian government about next steps soon.”
For her part, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said today that the United States has seen Russian proposals to start talks to defuse the Ukraine crisis and that it will hold talks with its European allies and partners.
On Thursday, Russia revealed that it was fully prepared to send a government negotiator “at any moment” to start talks with the United States on the security guarantees it seeks.
“There will be no talks on European security without our European allies and partners,” Psaki told reporters.
“We will not compromise on the main principles of European security, including that all countries have the right to determine their own destiny and their foreign policies, free of any external interference,” she added.
Ukraine and the United States have said Russia has moved more than 90,000 of its troops toward the Ukrainian border and may be ready for an invasion, which Moscow has denied.
Russia says it feels threatened by Ukraine’s growing ties with NATO, that Ukraine wants to join the alliance, and the possibility of NATO deploying missiles against Russia on Ukrainian soil.
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