Russia has denied the statements of the United States and Western countries that in the course of the forthcoming discussions of the Russian proposal to develop legal security guarantees, the topic of NATO’s non-expansion will not be considered. The corresponding statement was published on Saturday by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova.
“It is precisely the non-expansion of NATO and the non-emergence of weapons systems that threaten our security at the Russian borders that are the main, key issues in the upcoming negotiations with the United States and NATO. Those who have not yet grasped the essence of the Russian position should be very clear about this for themselves, ”Zakharova emphasized.
On December 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry published draft agreements with the United States and agreements with NATO on guarantees and security. The documents imply a refusal from the alliance’s deployment of ground-based intermediate and shorter-range missiles outside its territory and a refusal to expand the organization’s military bloc to the east. On December 21, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Washington, in response to Russia’s proposals on security guarantees in Europe, will present its own list of concerns.
On December 23, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO has never made promises not to expand eastward. Each country has the right to join the alliance, which is spelled out in several documents.
NATO expansion is taking place despite promises of non-expansion of the alliance, said Russian President Vladimir Putin at his press conference. According to him, Russia wants to ensure its security, including in connection with the deployment of missile systems on the territory of the new NATO member states.
On December 8, Vladimir Putin said that during his talks with US President Joe Biden, issues of regional issues, the conflict in southeastern Ukraine, the expansion of NATO to the east, including at the expense of Ukraine, were raised. According to him, Moscow proceeds from the premise that security must be global and extend equally to everyone.
.