US opens door to talks with Russia on deployment of missiles and military exercises | International

The United States is presenting itself with lime and another sand ahead of a new round of talks with Russia on Ukraine in Geneva this Monday. U.S. officials explained in a phone call this Saturday that the Joe Biden administration was opening the door to talks with the Kremlin on issues such as the deployment of missiles and the purpose of military maneuvers by both sides in the region if pressure on the country eased. With journalists, but raises deep economic barriers Fear encouraged by the Russian leader if Vladimir Putin intervenes By strengthening the presence of troops on the Ukrainian border.

Washington and Moscow will sit at the table seven months after the summit between Biden and Putin in the same city last June, and set the tone for the first half of the year: Interested in not continuing to escalate tensions and mistrust between the two sides. This time the leaders will not participate. The US delegation will be led by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Secretary of State Sergei Rybkov. The situation has changed: the Kremlin has concentrated tens of thousands of troops on the border with Ukraine, and the United States has raised its voice.

“However, we want to reduce the expansion [esta crisis] Through diplomatic means, if Russia chooses the other way, we are prepared to impose higher costs through sanctions, export restrictions targeting key industries, strengthening NATO positions in the friendly region and increasing security, and agree with our allies and allies. Support for Ukraine, ”US administration sources said on Saturday.

However, the deputy foreign minister said on Sunday that Russia had ruled out any “concessions” in talks with the United States in Geneva. “We will not accept any concessions. This was completely rejected,” Sergei Rybkov, who was to take part in the talks, told Russian newspapers.

Some of the restrictions reviewed by allies may affect U.S. products exported into the country and some manufactured overseas, but they are within the jurisdiction of the North American country or others with a certain percentage of the U.S. mix. The Reuters agency is well aware of this fact. In short, Russia could become part of a group of countries that are heavily penalized by the United States for foreign trade, including Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria.

The breadth of these details will help lay the groundwork for Monday’s appointment, which Washington promises will come with more “realism” than distrust. Any agreement on maneuvers and missiles, yes, Biden insists the government will take place in unison with Ukraine and NATO allies. In fact, contacts in the already multidisciplinary field will continue throughout the week. Following the Geneva talks, a special meeting of the NATO-Russia Council will be held in Brussels on Wednesday and a session of the Organization for Security and European Cooperation (OSCE) in Vienna on Thursday.

Moscow comes to the table with the request Legal guarantee that NATO will not carry out military reinforcements on Russia’s European borders. Especially in Ukraine. In a draft plan released in mid-December during a conference call between Biden and Putin, the Kremlin proposes that the Atlantic Coalition accept “the obligation to prevent NATO from expanding to other states, including Ukraine.” In that region, it is dropping military exercises in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Sources in the Biden administration have already warned that they first hit the bone. This is not possible, they pointed out this Saturday, when Moscow decides “whose other countries can be allies”.

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