Ukraine crisis .. Russia threatens and the Organization for Security and Cooperation says that Europe is close to war

The US envoy to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Michael Carpenter, said after talks with Russia in Vienna on Thursday that the West should prepare for the possibility of an escalation of tension with Moscow, while Russia renewed its criticism of the West, saying it was waiting for a written response to its proposals on security guarantees.

Carpenter told reporters in a conference call that the United States would not accept spheres of influence or restrictions on the rights of countries to choose their alliances, in reference to Russia's demands that NATO halt eastward expansion.

For its part, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe warned that the continent is closer to war than ever due to tension with Russia over the Ukraine crisis.

And Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau warned that "Europe is closer to war than ever before."

He explained - at a meeting of the Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe held in Vienna today, Thursday - that the region has been facing for several weeks the possibility of a major military escalation in Eastern Europe.

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Poland's foreign minister warned of the possibility of a major military escalation in Eastern Europe, talking about the situations in Kiev and Moldova and the crisis between Georgia and Armenia, but avoided mentioning Russia by name.

The Ukrainian crisis also dominated the meeting of the defense ministers of the European Union in the French city of Brest, which also discusses the common European military strategy.

And the European Union's foreign policy commissioner warned that any aggression against Ukraine would be met with a package of sanctions.

As for the French Minister of Armies, she said that the ministers affirmed that the security and stability of Europe are the prerogative of European countries alone.

the door is open

For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken reiterated on Thursday that NATO's door will remain open to accepting new members, despite Russia's request that the alliance not grant Ukraine its membership in talks that took place in Europe this week in an attempt to reduce tensions.

Talks between US and Russian officials continued in Vienna today, Thursday, within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which includes 57 member states, at a time when Russia is massing its forces near the border with Ukraine.

"The path that (Russian President) Vladimir Putin will take has not yet been decided. Will he choose the path of diplomacy and dialogue to solve some of these problems, or will he continue on the path of confrontation and aggression," Blinken said in an interview with MSNBC television. ?.

To impose sanctions

Meanwhile, Democratic members of the US Senate introduced a bill that would impose sanctions on Putin and provide financial aid to Kiev if Russia invades Ukraine.

The proposed Law "On Defense of Ukraine's Sovereignty" would impose sanctions on Putin, his Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, senior military officials, and several entities of the Russian banking sector in the event of an "invasion" or "escalation" of Russian hostilities against Ukraine.

The proposal also calls for $500 million in additional military aid to Ukraine to deal with the Russian invasion, more than double what the Biden administration provided to Kiev last year.

Tensions over Ukraine have increased in recent months after the United States and Western countries accused Russia of massing forces near its border with Ukraine in preparation for a possible invasion.

"We will not watch"

"This text clearly shows that the US Senate will not stand idly by in the face of the Kremlin's threat of a new invasion of Ukraine," Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, an influential member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement.

The text also urges the United States to "consider all available and appropriate measures" to ensure that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which it considers to be "an instrument of malicious influence for Russia," does not operate.

And this text has the support of 25 Democratic senators, led by its leader, Chuck Schumer, and the White House.

The White House National Security Council spokeswoman, Emily Horne, indicated that this proposal, if approved, would deal a "severe blow to the Russian economy."

Moscow position

For its part, the Kremlin said that there is a disagreement on major issues between Moscow and Washington, describing the situation as a "bad thing", and talks with Western powers as "unsuccessful."

The Kremlin added that it expected to receive soon a written response to its proposals on security guarantees, and said that the announcement of the possibility of imposing US sanctions on Russia in conjunction with the negotiations was an attempt to put pressure.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed his country's hope that the United States and NATO would fulfill their promises to respond in writing to its proposals on security guarantees.

Lavrov said that Washington had promised to submit proposals to Moscow next week in conjunction with receiving a response from NATO.

Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, accused Washington and its allies of not being ready to comply with Moscow's core demands for security guarantees.

Ryabkov considered that the United States and NATO are not ready to talk except about security guarantees that serve them, as he put it.

The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister warned that Moscow would take measures against US allies if Washington and NATO did not respond to requests for security guarantees.