Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart Antony Blinken met on Friday in Geneva in order to discuss the situation in Ukraine and progress on Russia’s security proposals that were rolled out in December.
‘Russia Does Not Threaten Ukrainian People’
According to Lavrov, Blinken promised that Washington would submit a written response to the proposals next week. The Russian foreign minister also noted that Moscow hopes the United States will “reduce emotions” during the security talks in order for the dialogue to be conducted more reasonably. Blinken, according to Lavrov, shared the sentiment.
“Our American colleagues once again tried to put the problems on the Russian-Ukrainian border at the forefront, tried to condition everything else on the need for so-called de-escalation”, Lavrov said at a presser that followed the talks. “But we ended with an agreement that we will be provided with written answers to all our proposals next week”.
The foreign minister also said that Russia has never threatened the Ukrainian people and is not planning to invade Ukraine.
“You mentioned the statement that Ukraine does not pose any threat to Russia. I would like to once again remind those who are analysing our position that Russia has nowhere and never threatened the Ukrainian people”, Lavrov said, adding that Moscow calls on Washington to put pressure on Kiev to implement the Minsk agreements. “[…] I have not heard a single argument today that would substantiate the US position on what is happening on the Russian-Ukrainian border, only concerns”.
The Russian diplomat told reporters that NATO sees Ukraine as its own sphere of influence, saying that Blinken reiterated the US position that countries are free to choose which alliances they want to join.
“He [Blinken] promised to explain how the US views the fulfillment of its commitment [to NATO’s non-expansion]”, Lavrov said.
After Washington submits its written response to the security proposals, Lavrov and Blinken may meet again in February, a source in the Russian diplomatic delegation told Sputnik.
