BRUSSELS, January 12. /TASS/. Washington and its allies believe that Russia will have to choose between de-escalation and confrontation, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said at a press conference following Wednesday’s meeting of the Russia-NATO Council in Brussels.

"We remain ready to continue to engage with Russia. The heavy pace of bilateral and multilateral engagements this week demonstrates that the United States and our allies and partners are not dragging our feet," Sherman emphasized. "It is Russia that has to make a stark choice: de-escalation and diplomacy or confrontation and consequences. We expect and had expected that the Russian delegations at the SSD here at the NATO-Russia Council and tomorrow at the OSCE will have to report back to President Putin, who we all hope will choose peace and security," she added.