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The White House has denied reports that the US administration is considering withdrawing US troops from Eastern Europe ahead of talks with Russia next week.
A White House official made the clarification in response to a request from VOA, after NBC News reported Friday that U.S. officials are ready to propose discussions on reducing US and Russian troop deployments and military exercises in Eastern Europe. , if Moscow shows it is serious about negotiations.
“We have been clear with Russia, publicly and privately, that if Russia further intervenes in Ukraine, we will strengthen our NATO partners on the east side, to whom we have a sacred obligation as allies.” said the VOA White House official. He added that the United States is “cooperating closely with NATO allies as they face the crisis together.” Moscow has made comprehensive demands, including for NATO to reduce its presence in Eastern Europe and exclude Ukraine – unacceptable demands for the US and Europe.
“This is definitely part of the well-known (Moscow) scenario, to present a list of absolutely unacceptable demands, to then claim that the other side is not engaging and to use it as an excuse for aggressive actions,” said the Secretary of State. , Antony Blinken.
NATO rules out the possibility of halting enlargement
Meanwhile, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday ruled out any possibility of halting the military alliance’s continued expansion to address security concerns coming from Russia, rejecting a fundamental part of President Vladimir Putin’s demands for easing tensions with Ukraine.
“We will not compromise on the basic principles, including the right of each country to decide the path it will follow, including any security agreement it wishes to be a part of,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels after a meeting. extraordinary of the alliance foreign ministers.
Secretary Blinken, and his alliance counterparts conducted virtual web-based talks to prepare for the first NATO-Russia Council meeting in more than two years. The meeting, which is expected to take place in Brussels on Wednesday, will give NATO ambassadors the opportunity to discuss face-to-face with the Russian special envoy on President Putin’s security proposals.
Most of the proposals, made public by Moscow, including a draft agreement with NATO countries and the offer of a treaty between Russia and the United States, seem unacceptable to the 30-nation military alliance. , despite fears that Putin may order Russian military forces to enter Ukraine.
The documents say that NATO must agree to suspend all membership plans, not only with Ukraine, as well as to end military maneuvers near Russia’s borders. In return, Moscow will abide by its international commitments to limit combat maneuvers, as well as to end air-borne incidents and other low-level hostilities.
The approval of such an agreement would require NATO to reject a fundamental part of the treaty on which the alliance was formed. Under Law 10 of the Washington Treaty of 1949, the organization can invite any European country that meets the conditions to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area, as well as fulfill the obligations of membership.
Mr Stoltenberg said the growing Russian military presence near Ukraine had continued, raising concerns about a possible intervention. “We are seeing armored units, artillery, ready-made combat troops, we are seeing electronic warfare equipment as well as many different military capabilities,” he said. “Increasing military presence, combined with security requirements and Russia’s past to Ukraine and Georgia,” sends a message that there is a real danger of a new armed conflict in Europe, “Stoltenberg said.
In 2014, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine and later supported a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine. More than 14,000 people have lost their lives during the seven-year war, destroying Donbas, where Ukraine’s industry is concentrated. Russia denies having new plans to attack Ukraine, but President Putin wants legal guarantees that would preclude NATO enlargement and the deployment of defense systems. Moscow says it expects a response to its security proposals this month.
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