WASHINGTON, January 28. /TASS/. US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman discussed written responses to Russia’s initiatives on security guarantees with officials from the European Union, NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.
The US diplomat spoke by phone with NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana, OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid, European External Action Service (EEAS) Secretary General Stefano Sannino and Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski, representing the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office.
"The participants discussed the U.S. and NATO written responses to Russia, continued OSCE and EU engagement, and our ongoing commitment to diplomacy. They agreed on the importance of continued close coordination and unity in the face of Russia’s unprovoked military buildup on Ukraine’s borders," Price said in a statement.
Recently, claims of Russia’s potential invasion in Ukraine have become frequent in Ukraine and Western states. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called such reports empty and groundless escalation of tensions, underscoring that Russia does not pose any threat to anyone. Peskov noted that provocations may happen in order to justify such claims and warned that such attempts will bear the most serious consequences.
On December 17, 2021, the Russian Foreign Ministry published draft agreements between Moscow and Washington on security guarantees and the measures of ensuring the security of Russia and NATO member states. The proposed measures include guarantees that NATO will not advance eastward, including the accession of Ukraine and other countries into the alliance, as well as the non-deployment of serious offensive weapons, including nuclear ones. On January 26, the US and NATO submitted to Russia their written response to Moscow’s proposal on security guarantees.