NATO and the United States on Wednesday sent Russia their written responses to Russia's call for new security arrangements in Europe.

They essentially rejected these, but combined this with an offer to hold further talks on confidence-building measures and arms control.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US government has charted a "serious diplomatic path" to resolve the Ukraine conflict.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels that evening: "A political solution is still possible, but of course Russia must participate in it with good intentions."

Thomas Gutschker

Political correspondent for the European Union, NATO and the Benelux countries based in Brussels.

  • Follow I follow

NATO and the US government did not make their coordinated but separate letters public.

However, it became clear from the statements that they – as before – insist on the basic principles of the European security order, including the right to freely choose an alliance, including for Ukraine.

His government has made it clear, Blinken said, "that there are fundamental principles that we have an obligation to uphold and defend."

In his remarks, Stoltenberg focused on the offer of dialogue.

Specifically, he named three areas in which there was "room for progress".

First, both sides should reopen their mutual representations in Brussels and Moscow and set up a "civilian hotline for emergencies".

Second, the Alliance is ready to "listen to Russia's concerns and have a real discussion about how we can preserve and strengthen the fundamental principles of European security (...)".

Third, the NATO-Russia Council should discuss maneuvers and nuclear strategy, "modernize" the Vienna Document on military transparency and reduce threats in military domains.

There must also be a "serious conversation" about nuclear weapons and medium-range missiles.

Moscow submitted two draft treaties to NATO and the USA in mid-December and immediately made them public.

She demanded that the alliance renounce "any future enlargement", including Ukraine.

In addition, it should undertake not to station troops and weapons on the soil of those states that were once part of the Warsaw Pact and later joined the alliance.

"Military activities" on the territory of Ukraine, in other Eastern European countries, in the South Caucasus and Central Asia should also be excluded - but only for NATO, not for Russia.

The draft treaty for the United States also provided for them to withdraw their nuclear weapons stationed in Europe and end so-called nuclear sharing in the alliance.

Russia transfers troops to Belarus

Stoltenberg used his press conference to publicize the growing concerns of NATO partners about the Russian troop deployment to Belarus. "Russia is in the process of deploying thousands of combat troops, hundreds of aircraft, S400 air defense systems and many other advanced capabilities," he said. "This is taking place under the guise of an exercise." In fact, the Russian and Belarusian forces would be integrated. "That adds to our concern, it adds to the tension," Stoltenberg said.      

According to Western knowledge, Russia has gathered more than 106,000 soldiers and heavy equipment on the border with Ukraine.

In addition, thousands more soldiers are currently being transferred from eastern Siberia to Belarus, where they are scheduled to take part in a large-scale maneuver with the country's armed forces starting next week.

Western intelligence circles fear that troops from there and on other fronts are advancing to Kiev in order to overthrow the government.