“The discussion was not easy” said straight awaythe Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, after a meeting of more than three hours of the NATO-Russia Council, Wednesday January 12, at the headquarters of the Alliance, in Brussels. “Discussions were direct on the situation in Ukraine and major differences were noted on security in Europe. Our differences will not be easy to overcome. “ Two days after the bilateral talks between the Americans and the Russians, Monday January 10, in Geneva, it is the same observation of divergence.
→ ANALYSIS. Ukraine and NATO, the story of a rapprochement
The thirty allies reaffirmed their refusal to accept Moscow’s main demand, namely a written guarantee on the non-expansion of NATO to Ukraine and Georgia, as well as on the non-deployment of the military system. arms and troops in NATO countries bordering on Russia. “I reaffirmed the fundamental principles of the international system and of European security: each country has the sovereign right to choose its own path”, tweetaitUS Assistant Secretary of State Wendy Sherman at the end of the session.
Moscow reserves its answer
On the other hand, NATO member countries offered Russia a series of meetings on broader European security issues, in particular on nuclear arsenals, missile deployments, conventional forces, transparency of military exercises and other confidence-building measures. “Russia was not able to accept this proposal, even if it did not reject it”, Jens Stoltenberg added. A further indication that this type of decision falls to Vladimir Putin whose Russian diplomats do not know the real intentions.
→ EDITORIAL. Ukraine, a European subject
“We can work together and make real progress” in these areas, said Wendy Sherman, without seeming very sure that Moscow would follow suit. “If Russia withdraws”, she commented, it will be “Quite obvious that they have never been serious about pursuing diplomacy.” The allies have also urged Russia to de-escalate in Ukraine, where nearly 100,000 Russian soldiers are massed near the borders, as well as to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbors.
Ukrainian crisis: in Brest, Europe is looking for its place
For its part, Russia insisted, according tohis representative, the Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alexander Grushko, on “A concrete, substantial reaction, article by article, to the draft Russian agreement on guarantees”. In the absence of results, threatens Moscow, the likelihood of a “Military and military-technical response” will be higher. Without going as far as direct military intervention, which the Kremlin says it does not want, it could be, according to Russian experts, the deployment of missiles in the Donbass or in the Crimea.
A new meeting in Vienna
The diplomatic sequence will continue Thursday, January 13 in Vienna, as part of a meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). This East-West dialogue platform, resulting from the Cold War, brings together 57 countries, including several EU states that are not members of the Alliance, such as Austria, Sweden, Finland and Ireland.
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