Negotiations between Russia and the United States on security issues may take place on January 10 in Geneva.
This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergei Ryabkov.
“A meeting will take place in Geneva.
January 10 is the main day for bilateral Russian-American consultations, which, we hope, will transform into negotiations on our draft agreements, ”said Ryabkov, quoted by TASS.
The diplomat also admitted that it would not be possible to reach an agreement in one round of negotiations.
“It is impossible to come to an agreement in one day, but we also cannot delay the process - the issue is very urgent and very serious,” Ryabkov explained.
Earlier in the Western media, citing a White House representative, information appeared that on January 10, representatives of Russia and the United States would hold talks on arms control, as well as the situation around Ukraine.
At the same time, a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council is scheduled for January 12 (Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also made a corresponding proposal earlier.) On January 13, a meeting of the Russian delegation with representatives of the OSCE is to take place.
In a conversation with RIA Novosti, Sergei Ryabkov confirmed that all these dates are being considered for negotiations, but there is no final agreement yet.
In turn, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed that Russia is aimed at defending its interests during the upcoming negotiations.
“We are now working to ensure that this firm line, aimed at defending our interests and at refusing to make concessions, which will be unilateral and do not take into account the balance of interests, so that this line can be carried out as efficiently as possible.
It is from this that we proceed now, when we are preparing for negotiations, first of all, with the United States, "he said at a meeting of United Russia.
The day before, in an interview with Solovyov Live, he said that Moscow and Washington would hold talks on security guarantees "immediately after the end of the New Year holidays."
According to him, the main thing in the upcoming discussions is that the West does not “shake up” the Russian proposals.
“We do not put forward any ultimatums, but endless negotiations, during which the West will again begin to promise something ambiguous, and then will surely deceive, are not needed,” Lavrov stressed.
According to Russian Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, NATO is preparing for a large-scale, high-intensity armed conflict with Russia.
He stated this at a briefing for military attachés and representatives of foreign embassies.
He also drew attention to the fact that recently the North Atlantic Alliance has switched to the practice of direct provocations, which can develop into an armed confrontation.
At the same time, according to him, in the military strategy of the North Atlantic Alliance in 2019, Russia is "identified as the main source of threats to coalition security," despite the fact that the Rome Declaration is still in force, which states that the Russian Federation and NATO do not consider each other as opponents.
“The current deplorable state of relations between Russia and NATO can be explained by the fact that the alliance has often resorted to using hybrid methods to contain Russia, combining dialogue with a build-up of military preparations.
In recent years, the emphasis has been placed on military deterrence, while earlier more attention was paid to cooperation projects of interest to the alliance, ”added the Deputy Defense Minister.
Also on russian.rt.com The paradigm of rivalry: why Lithuania and Slovakia call on NATO to reject Russian proposals on security guarantees
On December 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced the draft treaty with the United States and a security agreement with NATO.
The first document contains a proposal for interaction between Moscow and Washington on the principle of "indivisible and equal security", it also excludes the use of the territory of third countries for the preparation or implementation of an armed attack against the other side of the treaty.
The second document says that Russia and NATO must confirm that they do not consider each other to be enemies, and the members of the alliance must abandon any military activity on the territory of Ukraine, as well as a number of other countries.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine that he did not believe that the US and NATO would agree with Moscow's proposals.
In his opinion, the conclusion of the "big deal" between the West and Russia is fantastic.
“Point agreements are possible, but there can be no“ big agreements ”with Russia,” the diplomat said.
According to the first deputy head of the international committee of the Federation Council, Vladimir Dzhabarov, the Ukrainian minister, commenting on the upcoming dialogue between Russia and Western countries, is getting into other people's affairs.
“Let Kuleba deal with political issues related to Ukraine, do not meddle in our relations with NATO and the United States.
There is nothing more to say, "the senator said in an interview with RT.