US Ambassador Sullivan on security guarantees: together with NATO we are ready to cooperate with the Russian Federation
John Sullivan. Photo: Evgenia Novozhenina / Reuters
US Ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan praised Russia's demand for security guarantees. In an interview with Kommersant, he told why the US agreed to discuss the RF initiative.
According to the American ambassador, the United States is ready, together with NATO allies and partners, to interact with the Russian authorities. Sullivan stressed that the Russian side has formalized “its concerns” in writing, the documents were shared with him by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergei Ryabkov.
We have studied them. Together with our NATO allies and partners, we are ready to interact with the Russian authorities and discuss the problems they have voiced. Moreover, our partners in Europe and all those concerned about the security situation in Europe look forward to engaging with the Russian government on these issues.
John Sullivan US Ambassador to Russia
Continuation of the meeting of the presidents
At the same time, Sullivan added that the willingness to interact is a continuation of the first meeting of Russian leader Vladimir Putin with US President Joe Biden in June. According to the ambassador, Biden wants to be “direct and transparent” with Putin and the Russian side.
We want a stable and predictable relationship, but we are not going to compromise our principles and values, and we will be firm with our allies and partners. President Biden made this clear, both in a personal meeting with President Putin in Geneva in June and later in a recent videoconference they held.
John Sullivan US Ambassador to Russia
When asked if he viewed Russia's proposals as an ultimatum, Sullivan replied that he would not characterize it that way. At the same time, senior officials in the American government believe that the United States has a chance to make progress in discussing the issues raised by the Russian side, he added. “But it will be a two-way street. The United States and NATO will raise their own concerns and concerns in dialogue with Russia. And we believe that these discussions would be most effective against the background of de-escalation, especially the situation on the border with Ukraine, ”the ambassador said.
He also answered the question of what exactly the United States considers “de-escalation”. According to Sullivan, it involves a number of actions, including the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Ukrainian border. He expressed the hope that an agreement on a ceasefire in Donbass would be reached.
Signing documents
However, the Ambassador notes that the United States is not yet ready to sign the draft documents on security guarantees proposed by Russia.
The United States is not ready to simply take and sign these documents. Moreover, one of them is not addressed to the United States, but to NATO, it is assumed that this will be an agreement between Russia and NATO, so this is simply impossible
John Sullivan US Ambassador to Russia
What do they say in the European Union?
The High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell, following a telephone conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, said that the EU is closely coordinating its actions with transatlantic partners regarding Russia's proposals on security guarantees.
The European Union is in close coordination with transatlantic partners and other like-minded people, including on two draft agreements submitted by Russia on the European security architecture
Josep Borrell EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy
In addition, the head of European diplomacy and the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry discussed during a telephone conversation the risk of a Russian invasion. They assessed the security situation in Eastern Europe in the light of “Russia's military build-up around Ukraine.”
Security guarantees
On December 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry published draft agreements between Russia, NATO and the United States on security guarantees. The document, in particular, says that the United States should not create military bases in the territories of the former USSR countries that are not members of NATO. The United States also did not recommend using their infrastructure for any military activity and developing bilateral military cooperation with them.
Later, aides to the presidents of Russia and the United States, Yuri Ushakov and Jake Sullivan, held a telephone conversation, during which they discussed security guarantees. The leaders' advisers continued their discussion in the context of the well-known Russian proposals set forth in two draft documents and previously submitted to the American side.
After that, State Department spokesman Ned Price, commenting on the documents, said that the Russian proposals did not take into account the issues of concern to the United States. Price said Moscow has highlighted points of concern, but Washington has its own reasons for concern. The State Department spokesman stressed that any dialogue and diplomacy should be based on the principles of reciprocity.
