MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. Moscow will send its response to Washington’s proposals on security guarantees later on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on February 17.
"We are about to complete our analysis of the US letter. I expect that in the near future, you will learn how the situation will unfold. At least, we will send a letter to the US today," he said, adding that Russia’s response would be published.
"We believe that it is absolutely necessary to make sure that those members of civil society in our countries who are interested in the matter are able to figure out what is going on and what position each of the parties advocates because otherwise, if kept secret, which is what our colleagues in Washington and Brussels prefer to do, then the public will be overwhelmed with the lies and outright propaganda that have been filling the media space in terms of developments in Europe, and on the border between Russia and Ukraine," the Russian top diplomat emphasized.
The United States and NATO handed their written responses to Russia’s initiatives on security guarantees proposals over to Moscow on January 26, 2022. Washington had asked Moscow not to make the documents public, but US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg did announce their main provisions. According to their statements, the West refused to give Russia the concessions that it found crucial, but outlined areas for further talks.
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the reaction by the US and NATO to Moscow’s security initiatives with Lavrov. When asked if there was a chance to make an agreement on pressing issues with Western partners, the top diplomat answered in the affirmative, adding that "there is always a chance." He added that Russia had already prepared a ten-page response to the proposals made by Washington and Brussels.