The French side supports the proposal of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to hold a discussion of security guarantees in the framework of the Russia-NATO Council in January, a spokesman for the country’s Foreign Ministry said.
“We have taken note of the Russian proposals and are analyzing them in close cooperation with our allies and partners,” said a Foreign Ministry spokesman (quoted by TASS). The ministry stressed that they intend to conduct a “demanding dialogue with Russia”, which will strengthen strategic stability and security in Europe. According to the representative, it is necessary that during the discussion the interests of Europe should be taken into account.
On December 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry published a draft treaty with the United States and an agreement with the NATO military alliance on guarantees and security. In particular, the documents imply a refusal to deploy medium and shorter-range ground-based missiles outside its territory and a refusal to expand the NATO military bloc to the east. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that the United States has familiarized itself with the Russian proposals and is discussing them with European allies, without which “there will be no talks on European security.”
On December 22, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that negotiations on security guarantees would take place in January 2022, and on December 23, Russian President Vladimir Putin added that they would be held in Geneva. The Russian side will be represented by Sergei Ryabkov at the talks. The United States also expressed its willingness to negotiate, but clarified that progress can only be achieved with de-escalation in Ukraine.
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