We agreed to talk. How Russia's meeting with NATO ended

The outcome of the talks between Russia and NATO representatives in Brussels on January 12 turned out to be approximately the same as the talks with the United States on January 10: the parties fixed their differences and agreed to continue the dialogue.

What is known about the results

Negotiations with NATO on security assurances lasted about four hours, an hour longer than planned. Following their results, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO would not abandon the fundamental principle - freedom of entry for sovereign countries. It is the non-expansion of NATO - that is, the restriction of this principle for the countries of the former USSR - that is de facto Russia's main demand. Stoltenberg also stated that:

• The negotiations were difficult. Important differences remain between NATO allies and Russia, but discussing them around the table is an "important positive signal."
• NATO does not consider Ukraine a threat to Russia, and considers Russia an aggressor.
• Russia cannot have a veto on alliance expansion: “only Ukraine and 30 allies can decide when Ukraine joins NATO.”
• NATO does not intend to weaken positions on the eastern flank, and in addition calls on Russia to withdraw troops from Georgia and Moldova.
• NATO "will always do what is necessary to protect and protect all allies, and is constantly assessing the need to adjust presence in different parts of the alliance."
• The risk of military conflict in Europe is real. However, the Secretary General of the alliance did not specify whether it increased or decreased after the talks.
• If Russia uses military force, it will face serious consequences.
• The termination of the INF Treaty was caused by "gross violations on the part of Russia", including the deployment of medium-range missiles to it. But the alliance is ready for new arms control talks.
• Russia and NATO are interested in restoring the work of diplomatic missions in Moscow and Brussels.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, who participated in the talks, said that the Russian delegation did not immediately accept the alliance's proposals. According to her, a period of coordination with the governments has come for all parties.

The Russian side commented on the negotiations a few hours after NATO.

• The head of the Russian delegation, Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin , stated that relations with the alliance are at a critically low level, and the proposed de-escalation measures were ignored by him. At the same time, the delegation brought all of Russia's proposals to NATO.
• The Russian Foreign Ministry, represented by Deputy Minister Alexander Grushko, said that NATO is not going to take into account the interests of other countries in its practical activities. Russia, however, according to the diplomat, will not allow attempts to build security against itself and without itself, ending the open door policy and NATO expansion to the East remains an "absolute imperative" for it.
• Grushko recalled that Moscow has a set of "military-technical measures" (this expression, in the context of Russia's right to respond to Western aggression, was used by President Putin). “We will take all the necessary measures to counter the threat with military means, if political means fail,” the deputy minister said.

Without optimism, but with sanctions

While Russia was negotiating with NATO in Brussels, The Washington Post (WP) reported on a new package of sanctions prepared by Democratic senators in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to the document, restrictive measures will affect top military and government officials, including President Vladimir Putin personally, as well as key banks and the SWIFT system. He proposes to take "all available measures" to ensure that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is not launched. A spokesman for the US National Security Council said in a conversation with WP that the White House supports the package.

In a separate article on Russia's talks with NATO, the WP noted that there is little optimism on either side that the talks will break the deadlock. The reason lies in Russia's main demand for the non-expansion of NATO. Officials and analysts say that at best, all parties will simply continue to negotiate, the newspaper notes. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) also writes about pessimism about the possibility of a quick resolution to the current situation.

How did the meeting with the USA go?

Two days ago, on January 10, were held talks between Russia and the United States in Geneva. The Russian delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, and the American delegation by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. Following their results, Ryabkov expressed dissatisfaction with the way the United States reacted to the key items on the agenda for Moscow, in particular, the non-expansion of NATO and the non-deployment of strike weapons on the border with Russia. “The risks associated with a possible intensification of confrontation cannot be underestimated. <...> As I said, the main issues are suspended and we do not see that the American side has an understanding of the imperativeness of their solution in a way that suits us, ”he concluded. Sherman, in turn, threatened Russia with sanctions and noted that the United States would not allow "to close the doors to NATO to other countries."

A meeting with OSCE representatives is scheduled for January 13.