Russia and U.S. to debate Ukraine becoming a member of NATO, says Russian international min – Nationwide

Russian and U.S. negotiators will sit down for talks early subsequent yr to debate Moscow’s demand for Western ensures precluding NATO’s growth to Ukraine, Russia’s prime diplomat mentioned Wednesday.

Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov mentioned that Russia in January may also begin separate talks with NATO to debate the problem, including that separate negotiations beneath the auspices of the Group for Safety and Cooperation in Europe may also be held.

Final week, Moscow submitted draft safety paperwork demanding that NATO deny membership to Ukraine and different former Soviet international locations and roll again the alliance’s navy deployments in Central and Japanese Europe. Washington and its allies have refused to offer such pledges, however mentioned they’re prepared for the talks.

Moscow introduced the calls for amid hovering tensions over a Russian troop buildup close to Ukraine that has stoked fears of a potential invasion. U.S. President Joe Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin in a convention name earlier this month that Russia will face “extreme penalties” if it assaults Ukraine.

Putin has denied having plans to launch an assault however has described NATO’s growth to Ukraine and weapons deployment of the alliance weapons there as a “purple line.”

“We don’t desire a warfare,” Lavrov mentioned Wednesday. “We don’t wish to take the trail of confrontation. However we are going to firmly guarantee our safety utilizing the means we take into account crucial.”

1:09
Biden warns Putin that Russia pays ‘a horrible value’ if it invades Ukraine

Talking in a dwell interview with Russian RT tv, Lavrov hailed Washington’s “business-like” method that helped shortly agree on parameters of the long run talks.

He added that Moscow could be prepared to contemplate Washington’s calls for, however warned that the talks mustn’t drag out indefinitely.

“I hope that they may take us critically given the strikes we take to make sure our protection functionality,” he mentioned.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned Tuesday that Washington is working with its European allies to deal with what he referred to as “Russian aggression” with diplomacy however mentioned Biden opposes the form of ensures sought by Putin.

“The president has been extraordinarily clear for a lot of, a few years about some primary rules that nobody is shifting again on: the precept that one nation doesn’t have the correct to vary by pressure the borders of one other, that one nation doesn’t have the correct to dictate the insurance policies of one other or to inform that that nation with whom they might affiliate,” Blinken advised reporters in Washington. “One nation doesn’t have the correct to exert a sphere of affect. That notion needs to be relegated to the dustbin of historical past.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov additionally hailed reaching a fast settlement on the beginning of the talks, however famous that they need to be “geared toward reaching concrete outcomes and never change into drawn out.” He added that Moscow expects Washington to current an in depth platform for the talks and be prepared for a constructive dialogue.

“We would like these talks,” he mentioned in a convention name with reporters. “And, actually, the talks are held to debate one another’s positions.”