US Representative in Talks with Russia Reminded About Countries’ Right to Choose Alliances | News from Germany about Russia | Dw

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Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov assessed the results of the preliminary part of the talks with the United States on security guarantees in Geneva on Sunday, January 9, calling the meeting difficult, but businesslike. The meeting of the American and Russian delegations took place as part of the start of the diplomatic marathon, which will take place this week in three European cities against the backdrop of deteriorating relations between the two countries due to the buildup of Russian military presence near the borders of Ukraine.

United States reaffirmed its commitment to the principles of sovereignty

Preliminary negotiations between the Russian delegation, led by Sergei Ryabkov, and the American delegation, led by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, lasted two hours.

“Amazing. The conversation was difficult, it cannot be easy. In principle, business. I think that tomorrow we will not waste our time,” Ryabkov told reporters at the end of the business dinner.

In turn, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that during her conversation with Ryabkov, Sherman “emphasized the United States’ commitment to international principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and freedom of sovereign states to choose their own alliances.” At the same time, it was about Ukraine and its aspiration to join NATO.

State Department intends to discuss European security with the participation of Europeans

Sherman also reaffirmed that the United States stands ready to welcome genuine progress in dialogue with Russia through diplomacy, Price said in a statement. “At a meeting with Russia on strategic stability, the United States is ready to discuss some bilateral issues, but will not talk about security in Europe without the participation of the Europeans themselves,” the statement of the US State Department further emphasizes.

Negotiations on security guarantees are seen as the first step towards resuming dialogue. Relations between the United States and Russia have deteriorated once again as it has deployed some 100,000 troops near the border with Ukraine, and concerns have grown in the West about a possible military invasion of the neighboring country by Russian troops.

Russia opposes NATO’s eastward expansion

The government of Russian President Vladimir Putin presented a list of its demands, for example, demanded assurances that NATO would not seek further eastward expansion into former Soviet republics such as Ukraine or Georgia.

Answering a question from journalists whether Russia is ready for a compromise, Sergei Ryabkov said: “The Americans must be ready for a compromise.”

Bilateral negotiations between the United States and the Russian Federation are scheduled for January 10 in Geneva. On January 12, a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council will take place in Brussels, and on January 14, consultations will be held in Vienna at a meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

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