The United States and Russia are still a long way off from talks in Ukraine over the Geneva talks

Author: Emma Farge

GENEVA (Reuters) – Russia and the United States have shown no signs of narrowing the gap between Ukraine and wider European security in talks in Geneva on Monday, as Moscow reiterated its demands that Washington cannot accept it.

Russia has rallied troops near the Ukrainian border, and has demanded that the US-led NATO alliance accept the former Soviet state or further expand what Moscow sees as its backyard.

“Unfortunately, we have a big difference in our approach to this principle. The United States and Russia have somehow differing views on what needs to be done,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told a news conference.

“We have been steadfast … rejecting security proposals that are mere start-ups for the United States,” U.S. Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman said in a telephone conversation after talking to Ryabkov for nearly eight hours.

However, Sherman also noted the possibility of mutual engagement, saying Washington was open to discussing missile deployments in Europe and limiting the size and scope of military exercises.

Washington and Kiev say 100,000 Russian troops fleeing Ukraine have been preparing for a new invasion, eight years after Russia took over the Crimean peninsula from its neighbor.

Russia denies such a plan and says it is responding to what it calls the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Ukraine’s aggressive behavior, which it wants to bend to the West and join the alliance.

Ryabkov reiterated strong demands, including a ban on further NATO expansion and an end to his activities in the Central and Eastern European countries that joined in 1997.

“It is absolutely necessary for us to ensure that Ukraine never, ever, ever becomes a member of NATO,” he said. “We don’t trust the other side.”

“We need iron, waterproof, bulletproof, legally binding guarantees. No guarantees, no guarantees, guarantees with all the words ‘need, need’, everything that needs to be put in place, ‘never become a NATO member.’ du.

“We will not allow anyone to oppress the closed-door NATO policy,” Sherman told reporters, adding that the US “will not decide on Ukraine without Ukraine, on Europe or on NATO without NATO.”

RUSSIAN EMERGENCY

The accumulation of troops near Ukraine has raised tensions between the US and Russia to the highest levels since the end of the Cold War.

Both sides said they had no intention of invading Russia, Ryabkov said something would never happen, but Sherman said he did not know if Russia was ready to land, which he defined as Russian troops returning to his barracks.

The Russian has complained that the US does not understand the urgency of the situation. Although there was no deadline, Russia was not ready to wait weeks or months, he said.

Ryabkov said Russia should watch the NATO move, and failing to do so would be a mistake that would harm NATO security.

Russia would respond in a “military-technical” way if talks were suspended, he said – a possible reference for rethinking medium-range nuclear missiles (INFs) in Europe, which he said could happen if the West does not want to respond last month.

Sherman said that if Russia were to withdraw from talks, it would be clear that it would never be serious about diplomacy.

He also said Washington is open to discussing a possible deal on INF missiles, in line with the now-defunct INF treaty between the US and Russia, and imposing limits on the size and extent of military exercises in Russia’s proposal.

The United States in August 2019 formally withdrew from the 1987 INF border treaty with Russia after it was formally violated by the Moscow treaty, an accusation denied by the Kremlin.

The treaty banned surface-to-air missiles ranging from 310 to 3,400 miles (500 to 5,500 km).

Although there was no noticeable progress, the atmosphere between the two sides was pleasant.

Sherman described the debate as “honest and honest”, while Ryabkov said it was difficult but professional and that the United States was serious about Russia’s proposals.

He said that Russia would decide on Wednesday in Brussels on Wednesday, and on Thursday with a meeting with the European Security and Cooperation Organization in Vienna.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said he did not expect any progress in a meeting, but Washington and Moscow would touch the ground to look at the way forward after them.