Putin's response to NATO talks: "Not constructive"

Putin's response to NATO talks: "Not constructive"

Of: Manne Berggren Wiklund

PUBLISHED: LESS THAN 3 HOURS AGO

UPDATED: LESS THAN 2 HOURS AGO

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Russia has responded in writing to the United States about how it views the negotiations on a security agreement.

If one is to believe Russia, the negotiations have been a disaster and they have not gone anywhere.

"We will have to respond, that includes implementing military measures," Russia wrote to the United States.

The US embassy has just received a written response to the proposals for security guarantees submitted by NATO to the Russian government earlier this week.

The letter, which was sent to the US ambassador to Moscow, has been published in its entirety on the Russian news agency TASS. There, Russia writes:

"The American side has not given a constructive response to the basic elements of the downsizing agreement drawn up by the Russian side."

The letter continues:

The basic nature of Russia's proposal has been ignored and the "appropriate" end has been deliberately selected and "distorted" to appear beneficial to the United States and its allies. "This approach and the accompanying rhetoric from US authorities reinforce doubts that Washington is really interested in resolving the security situation in Europe."

One of the parts that stands out in the long text of demands and explanations of how Russia believes that the NATO countries, or the "American side" as they themselves write, have let them down in the negotiations is this:

"In the absence of the US side's readiness to agree on firm, binding guarantees for our security from the United States and its allies, Russia will be forced to respond, including the implementation of military measures."

"No plans for invasion"

At the same time, Russia emphasizes that there are no plans for an invasion of Ukraine.

According to Russia, NATO must, among other things, stop supplying weapons to Ukraine. And they must withdraw their military advisers and not allow Ukraine to participate in military exercises with NATO.

Biden: "Very high risk"

During the afternoon, US President Joe Biden spoke about the situation. He then said that he believed that there was a very high risk that Russia would invade Ukraine and that it could occur within a few days.

- We have all indications that they are ready to enter Ukraine, Biden said.