Tensions remain, and negotiations between America and Russia have ended without progress

From the American side Wendy Sherman Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Ryabkov The Secretary of State attended a hearing in Geneva on Monday around 8 pm. The topic was the situation in Ukraine and the expansion associated with NATO after that Significant Russian forces have been deployed near the Ukrainian border in recent weeks, and the Russian leadership has repeatedly stated that it would be a red line for them to accept Ukraine into NATO.

In December, Russia is quiet It has an ambitious list of claims as a condition of a contract with NATO. Accounts receivable includes it NATO cannot expand further east (Not only Ukraine, but also Sweden and Finland can be included) and the United States It may not establish military bases on the territory of members of the former Soviet Union that are not members of NATOand the forces It should be withdrawn from NATO sites in 1997, so the Allied forces could not stay in the late Warsaw Pact member states, including Hungary. NATO described the plan as unacceptable, saying that every sovereign country has the right to apply for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

We made it clear to our colleagues that we have no plans and no intention to attack Ukraine

Ryabkov told reporters after the talks. He said that it was made clear to the United States that all measures to train troops are being implemented on its soil and that there is no reason to fear an escalation scenario.

According to Sherman The discussions were honest and openTheir goal was to promote a better understanding of both sides’ security concerns, he writes BBC Transfer.

in negotiations The US side urged Russia to withdraw its forces from the area near the Ukrainian borderHowever, it has not received any confirmation of this happening. And the Russian side He demanded clear guarantees that NATO would not include Ukraine and Georgia as members (Georgia), but the United States publicly rejected this claim.

We will not allow anyone to shut down NATO’s open door policy, which has always been central to the alliance

Sherman announced. Added a possible invasion of Ukraine It will have dire costs and consequences, with much more than in 2014, after the Russian occupation of Crimea. Countermeasures could include sanctions against important financial institutions, export controls, reinforcement of NATO forces in Allied territory, and increased security support for Ukraine.

America has mutually offered to restrict military exercises and missile deployments, but this does not seem to be enough for Russia.

According to Ryabkov Negotiations were oriented toward business and professionalism, but she cautioned the United States to play down the risks of tension.

He spoke to German public service television after the meeting Wolfgang IschingerChairman of the Munich Security Conference. the Tagesschau.de According to his report, Ischinger described the meeting as the beginning of a diplomatic process. According to him, the Russian side is interested in continuing negotiations, but at the same time it puts the largest number of demands on the table. The German diplomat said he did not believe Russia would actually plan an attack on Ukraine, saying such a project would exceed the country’s economic potential.

Wendy Sherman made it clear in conversations on Monday The United States will not make a decision on Ukraine without Ukraine, on Europe without Europe, and on NATO without NATO. Negotiations between NATO and Russia will continue in Brussels on Wednesday.

Cover photo: US Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov begin their meeting in Geneva on January 10, 2022. Representatives of the United States and Russia sit at the negotiating table to reduce tensions on the Russia-Ukraine border.MTI / AP / Pool / Reuters / Denis Balibouse