Topline
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the commitment to keeping the path of diplomacy open as he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday in Geneva, in what Blinken called a “critical moment” as tensions rose between the two countries amid tens of thousands of Russian troops gathering near the Ukrainian border.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken greets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov before their … [+]
Key Facts
Blinken called the meeting “frank and substantive” and said the two countries are on a “clearer path” to understanding each other’s positions while speaking to reporters after the talks, the New York Times reports.
Both Blinken and Lavrov said the U.S. will provide a written list of specific responses to Russian demands next week, and that talks would continue after the list is received.
Russia has demanded that NATO pledge to never admit Ukraine as a member, that NATO alliance weapons never be deployed near the Russian border and for NATO troops to be pulled back from Central and Eastern Europe, according to the Times.
In a separate press briefing after the meeting, Lavrov said the meeting was “a useful, honest discussion,” the Times reports, but added he “can’t say whether or not we are on the right path” until he receives the written response from the U.S.
Prior to the meeting, Blinken and Lavrov said they both did not expect any breakthroughs from the talks Friday.
Crucial Quote
Blinken said the U.S. is committed to keeping a path of diplomacy and dialogue open, but also warned of action if Russia invades. “We’re also committed, if that proves impossible and Russia decides to pursue aggression against Ukraine, to a united, swift, and severe response,” Blinken said. “This is a critical moment.”
Key Background
The talks come amid fears of another Russian invasion into Ukraine, after Russia illegally annexed Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula in 2014. Reports of a military buildup near the Ukrainian border surfaced in November, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has amassed as many as 100,000 Russian troops there this month, the Times reports. The U.S. and NATO rejected Russia’s demands that the alliance should not admit Ukraine, saying earlier this month Russia should have no say over who should be allowed to join the alliance—dismissing a key part of Putin’s demands for easing tensions with Ukraine. “NATO never promised not to admit new members; it could not and would not,” Blinken said at the time. President Joe Biden insisted Thursday any Russian military move into Ukraine would provoke “a severe and coordinated economic response” from NATO and its allies and that Moscow would “pay a heavy price.”
Further Reading
Blinken and Lavrov to Meet as Tensions Mount Over Ukraine (The New York Times)
US, NATO rule out halt to expansion, reject Russian demands (The Associated Press)
Russian Possible Invasion Of Ukraine? Reports Of Military Buildup Grow (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/annakaplan/2022/01/21/us-and-russia-on-clearer-path-to-diplomacy-on-ukraine-blinken-says/