Moscow insists on the withdrawal of all US forces and weapons deployed in Central and Southeastern Europe and the Baltics, Russia said in a written response to the US response to security guarantees, published by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday. TASR shall inform it on the basis of a report received from TASS.
“We are confident that the national potential in these areas is quite sufficient. We are ready to discuss these issues on the basis of Articles 4 and 5 of the Russian draft agreements. “ it is written in a document of the Russian Ministry of Diplomacy.
It further states that “the deployment of the Russian Federation’s armed forces on its territory does not and cannot affect the basic interests of the United States. We remind you that there are no forces of ours in Ukraine.”
“In the absence of a willingness on the part of the United States to negotiate firm, legally binding guarantees of our security on the part of the United States and its allies, Russia will have to respond, including through the implementation of military-technical measures“is stated in the document.
“Russia continues to advocate an integrated approach to the strategic issue. We propose to engage in the joint development of a new security equation … We call on the US and NATO to return to fulfilling their international peacekeeping and security commitments … We look forward to concrete proposals from Alliance members on the form and substance of legal confirmation that NATO’s further expansion to the east will be abandoned. “
The document further states that “the general statements that the American side takes this postulate (of indivisible security) directly contradict Washington’s unpreparedness to abandon the counterproductive and destabilizing trend of creating benefits for itself and its allies at the expense of Russian security interests. . This is what is happening as a result of the unrestricted policy of the North Atlantic Alliance led by the USA for the unrestricted geostrategic and military use of the post-Soviet space, including the territory of Ukraine, which is particularly sensitive for us. This is happening right on the Russian border. “
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has previously announced that Russia will send a response to its proposals on security in Europe to the United States on Thursday and that the content will be made public.
In its written response to Moscow, Washington rejected some of Russia ‘s main demands inincluding the ban on Ukraine’s membership of NATO. In response, Moscow said it was not satisfied with the answer, andhowever, she emphasized that progress could be made on certain issues.
Although Russia announced the withdrawal of some of its forces from near the Ukrainian border this week, there is no evidence, according to the West. Despite a large military presence on the border with Ukraine, Russia refuses to plan an attack. Last December, Moscow called on the United States and NATO to provide it with comprehensive security guarantees, including a promise that NATO would not expand eastward and allow Ukraine membership. Moscow is also asking the West to commit not to deploy assault weapons near Russia’s borders.
