Russia suggested a covert operation as a justification for the invasion of Ukraine

US refuses to offer guarantees that Ukraine will not join NATO

  • European Union Foreign Minister Josep Borrell speaks to reporters after the bloc extended economic sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis.

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  • A soldier of Russian-backed Ukrainian separatists watches from a military post.

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Three rounds of unprecedented security talks between Russia and the West ended without achieving the desired goal, with officials on both sides stating that no significant progress has been made. In a report published by the American magazine "National Interest", the American researcher, Mark Epskobos, says that the discussions that began on the tenth of this month, between the Moscow and Washington delegations in Geneva, were led by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Rybakov. The debate revolved around Ukraine and the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Sherman rejected Russia's demands for official guarantees that Ukraine and Georgia would never join NATO, adding that Washington would not allow anyone to shut down NATO's open-door policy.

Nevertheless, the US side expressed its willingness to discuss imposing restrictions on Western missile systems and military exercises in and around Ukraine.

However, Ryabkov confirmed his previous position that Russia's demands in the face of the United States and "NATO" are not a menu, and either they are completely accepted or completely rejected.

Last Monday, Ryabkov again rejected the idea of ​​a lesser settlement, asserting that it was absolutely important for Russia to ensure that Ukraine would never, ever, ever be a member of NATO.

It seemed that last Wednesday's meeting between Russia and "NATO" did not witness anything new, as NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg offered to hold future talks on arms control, while rejecting Russia's request for binding legal guarantees against further expansion of the alliance to the east.

A third round of talks began between "NATO" and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna, last Thursday. Russian officials described the organization's meeting as largely a sideshow. The Russian side did not commit to holding subsequent talks, as Ryabkov hinted that Washington and Moscow had reached a dead end, or a difference of positions, on the issue of "NATO" expansion. The recent negotiations took place against the backdrop of increasing military tension between Russia and Ukraine. Western intelligence sources and Western military experts expressed their dismay over the reported build-up of Russian forces and their unusual movements along the Russian-Ukrainian border. John Herbst, a former US ambassador to Ukraine and one of the senior directors of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, had previously told NBC, "Moscow is very well positioned, and it can move very quickly...certainly They are a threat. They are in a position to do whatever they want if they want to.”

However, Epskopos adds, Russian officials continue to assert that Russia has no plans to attack Ukraine, and that they have the non-negotiable right to deploy and relocate troops to its borders at its discretion.

"I hope to believe it, and I hope it is true, that they have no plans, but everything we have seen so far shows that they are making moves in this direction," said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the United Nations.

Last Friday, the White House hinted at the possibility of Moscow orchestrating a covert operation in eastern Ukraine as a justification to invade all or part of the country.

An email from an unnamed US official said Russia was paving the way for it to have a justifiable fabrication option for the invasion, including through subversive activities and information operations, accusing Ukraine of preparing an imminent attack against Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.

The official added that Russian elements are being trained in urban warfare and the use of explosives to carry out acts of sabotage against proxy forces in Russia's interest. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby described the assessment as highly credible, when asked about it at a press conference last Friday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the allegations made by CNN as baseless. Her health. Epskopos said that although Moscow denied any offensive intent towards Ukraine, it said it intended to respond forcefully if the West rejected its security demands. In a recent telephone conversation with President Joe Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that any further US sanctions against Russia could lead to a complete rupture in bilateral relations. Ryabkov said the Kremlin is reviewing a range of military options in case the talks fail.

He added to the RTVI television network that he did not rule out the deployment of Russian military equipment in Cuba or Venezuela.

Russian officials and commentators have previously hinted that the Kremlin may also consider deploying tactical and strategic weapons systems in Belarus and Serbia.

Senior Russian officials had stressed throughout the negotiations that the Kremlin would not remain silent on the status quo regarding NATO's presence in Eastern Europe.

Russia's representative in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Alexander Lukashevich, said last Thursday, "Russia is a peace-loving country, but we do not need peace at any price, and if we do not hear a response based on our proposals within a reasonable time frame, and hostile behavior towards Russia continues, We will take the necessary measures to ensure strategic balance and eliminate unacceptable threats to our national security.”

On the other hand, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau declared, following the talks, that "the danger of war in the OSCE region is greater now than at any time during the past 30 years."

The White House has ruled out putting American soldiers on the ground in the event of any scenario of an invasion of Ukraine, but says it is ready to respond to any possible Russian aggression with a wide range of sanctions, provide more military aid to Kiev, and make changes to the status of NATO forces in its eastern region. .

• The US side expressed its readiness to discuss imposing restrictions on Western missile systems and military exercises in and around Ukraine.

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