Russia doesn’t want Ukraine to take part in Kremlin-US talks on NATO
The Kremlin sees no need for Ukraine to participate in negotiations with the United States and NATO on Russia’s security demands, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said on Dec. 21.
He said the Russian side had not submitted its proposals to Ukraine, “but, of course, Ukraine is aware of this, like everyone else.”
“At this stage, we do not see the need for (Ukraine’s) participation (in talks),” the Interfax-Ukraine news agency quoted him as saying.
On Dec. 17, the Russian Federation issued a formal list of demands, including a ban on Ukraine joining the alliance.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, at a briefing on Dec. 17, emphasized that “any dialogue with Moscow would also need to address NATO’s concerns about Russia’s actions, be based on core principles and documents of European security, and take place in consultation with NATO’s European partners, such as Ukraine.”
“There will be no talks on European security without our European allies and partners,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told journalists on Dec. 17.
On Dec. 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a video call with U.S. President Joe Biden, raised the issue of security guarantees for Russia. In turn, Biden refused to rule out Ukraine’s membership of NATO, saying that countries should be able to freely choose who they associate with.
Russia has since demanded that a 2008 decision by NATO to put Ukraine and Georgia on the path to membership be reversed.
On Dec. 10, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Ukraine’s current path may spark a large-scale military conflict in Europe.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has meanwhile called on the West not to meet Russia’s demands.
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