MOSCOW (TASS): US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan noted the productivity of the Russian-American talks on security guarantees that took place on January 10 in Geneva.
“The discussion [in Geneva] revolved around issues, some of which were not previously covered in the discussion of the dialogue on strategic stability. But, as I said, it was a productive discussion,” he said in an interview with TV Dozhd “(recognized in the Russian Federation as a media foreign agent).
The diplomat also denied the assertion that the negotiations are a failure. “No, not at all,” Sullivan emphasized. “It [the failure] may come, but I don’t feel like this is the direction we’re heading in right now.”
Sullivan also said that the principle of admitting new countries to NATO cannot be revised.
“Revised? No, it’s a principle that has stood the test of time since the North Atlantic Treaty was adopted in 1949,” he said.
Sullivan said that the decision to expand the alliance is made only by NATO members and the country seeking to join the union, and this is the West’s response to Moscow’s proposal not to admit new member states to NATO.
“NATO and the admission of new members to NATO is one of the topics mentioned. It was raised by President [Vladimir] Putin, and [Russian] Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and Deputy Foreign Minister. Our response, the United States response, NATO response is as follows: for over 70 years, if a third-party state decides that it wants to join NATO, the North Atlantic Alliance provides a process for considering the issue of membership, “the ambassador said.
Russian-American consultations on security guarantees ended on January 10 in Geneva. On December 17, 2021, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published draft agreements with the United States on security guarantees, as well as agreements on security measures for the Russian Federation and the member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
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