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world news Diasabra 18 December 2021

Russia sets out tough demands for security pact with NATO

(AP) — Russia on Friday Jens Stoltenberg said the alli-
published draft security ance had received the Russian
demands that NATO deny documents, and noted that
membership to Ukraine any dialogue with Moscow
and other former Soviet “would also need to address
countries and roll back NATO’s concerns about
the alliance’s military de- Russia’s actions, be based on
ployments in Central and core principles and docu-
Eastern Europe — bold ul- ments of European security,
timatums that are almost and take place in consulta-
certain to be rejected by tion with NATO’s European
the U.S. and its allies. partners, such as Ukraine.”

The proposals, which were He added that the 30 NATO
submitted to the U.S. and its countries “have made clear
allies earlier this week, also that should Russia take con-
call for a ban on sending U.S. crete steps to reduce tensions,
and Russian warships and we are prepared to work on
aircraft to areas from where strengthening confidence
they can strike each other’s building measures.”
territory, along with a halt to
NATO military drills near White House national secu-
Russia. rity adviser Jake Sullivan said
the administration is ready to icy free from the outside in- support behind a separat- present in 1997 — before
The demand for a written discuss Moscow’s concerns terference,” Psaki said. ist rebellion in the country’s NATO’s eastward expansion
guarantee that Ukraine won’t about NATO in talks with east. More than seven years started — except for excep-
be offered membership al- Russian officials, but em- Moscow’s draft also calls for of fighting has killed over tional situations of mutual
ready has been rejected by phasized that Washington is efforts to reduce the risk of 14,000 people and devastated consent.
the West, which said Moscow committed to the “principle incidents involving Russia Ukraine’s industrial heart-
doesn’t have a say in NATO’s of nothing about you with- and NATO warships and air- land, known as the Donbas. Poland, Hungary and the
enlargement. out you” in shaping policy craft, primarily in the Baltic Czech Republic joined
that impacts European allies. and the Black seas, increase The Russian demands would NATO in 1999, followed in
NATO’s secretary-general the transparency of military oblige Washington and its al- 2004 by Bulgaria, Romania,
emphasized Friday that any “We’re approaching the drills and other confidence- lies to pledge to halt NATO’s Slovakia, Slovenia and the
security talks with Moscow broader question of diploma- building measures. eastward expansion to in- former Soviet republics of
would need to take into ac- cy with Russia from the point clude other ex-Soviet re- Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
count NATO concerns and of view that ... meaningful A senior U.S. official said publics and rescind a 2008 In the following years, Alba-
involve Ukraine and other progress at the negotiating some of the Russian propos- promise of membership to nia, Croatia, Montenegro
partners. The White House table, of course, will have als are part of an arms control Ukraine and Georgia. The and North Macedonia also
similarly said it’s discussing to take place in a context of agenda between Moscow and alliance already has firmly became members, bringing
the proposals with U.S. allies de-escalation rather than es- Washington, while some oth- rejected that demand from NATO membership to 30
and partners, but noted that calation,” Sullivan said at the er issues, such as transparen- Moscow. nations.
all countries have the right to event hosted by the Coun- cy and deconfliction, concern
determine their future with- cil on Foreign Relations. He all 57 members of the Orga- Moscow’s documents also The draft proposals contain
out outside interference. added “that it’s very difficult nization for Security and Co- would preclude the U.S. and a ban on the deployment of
to see agreements getting operation in Europe, includ- other NATO allies from con- U.S. and Russian warships
The publication of the de- consummated if we’re con- ing Ukraine and Georgia. ducting any military activities and aircraft to “areas where
mands — contained in a pro- tinuing to see an escalatory in Ukraine, other countries they can strike targets on the
posed Russia-U.S. security cycle.” The official, who briefed re- of Eastern Europe and ex- territory of the other party.”
treaty and a security agree- porters on the condition of Soviet republics in the Cau-
ment between Moscow and While U.S. intelligence has anonymity in order to talk casus and in Central Asia. Moscow has long com-
NATO — comes amid soar- determined that Russian about the proposals, said the plained about patrol flights
ing tensions over a Russian President Vladimir Putin has U.S. is looking at how to The Ukrainian Foreign Min- by U.S. strategic bombers
troop buildup near Ukraine made plans for a potential engage every country whose istry commented on Mos- near Russia’s borders and
that has raised fears of an in- further invasion of Ukraine interests are affected in pro- cow’s proposals by empha- the deployment of U.S. and
vasion. Moscow has denied it in early 2022, Sullivan said spective talks on European sizing that it’s up to the alli- NATO warships to the Black
has plans to attack its neigh- the U.S. still does not know security issues and will re- ance and Ukraine to discuss Sea, describing them as de-
bor but wants legal guaran- whether he has decided to spond to Moscow sometime NATO membership pros- stabilizing and provocative.
tees precluding NATO ex- move forward. next week with concrete pro- pects and its military coop-
pansion and deploying weap- posals after consulting with eration with other countries. Russia’s draft envisages a
ons there. White House press secretary the allies. pledge not to station inter-
Jen Psaki noted that strategic “The Russian aggression mediate-range missiles in
Deputy Foreign Minister security talks with Moscow President Vladimir Putin and the current Russian es- areas where they can strike
Sergei Ryabkov said Russia’s go back decades, saying that raised the demand for secu- calation along the Ukrainian the other party’s territory, a
relations with the U.S. and “there’s no reason we can’t rity guarantees in last week’s border and on the occupied clause that follows the U.S.
NATO have approached a do that moving forward to video call with U.S. Presi- territories is now the main and Russian withdrawal from
“dangerous point,” noting reduce instability, but we’re dent Joe Biden. During the problem for the Euro-Atlan- a Cold War-era pact banning
that alliance deployments going to do that in partner- conversation, Biden voiced tic security,” said its spokes- such weapons.
and drills near Russia have ship and coordination with concern about a buildup of man Oleg Nikolenko.
raised “unacceptable” threats our European allies and part- Russian troops near Ukraine The Russian draft also calls
to its security. ners.” and warned him that Russia The Russian proposal also for a ban on the deployment
would face “severe conse- ups the ante by putting a new of U.S. and Russian nuclear
Moscow wants the U.S. to ”We will not compromise quences” if Moscow attacked demand to roll back NATO weapons on the territory of
start talks immediately on the the key principles on which its neighbor. military deployments in other countries — a repeat of
proposals in Geneva, he told European security is built, Central and Eastern Europe, Moscow’s longtime push for
reporters. including that all countries Russia annexed Ukraine’s stating that the parties agree the U.S. to withdraw its nu-
have the right to decide their Crimean Peninsula in 2014 not to send any troops to ar- clear weapons from Europe.
NATO Secretary-General own future and foreign pol- and shortly after cast its eas where they hadn’t been