US waits for Moscow’s response to security guarantees: Envoy

US waits for Moscow’s response to security guarantees: Envoy

MOSCOW (TASS): Washington is awaiting the reaction of the Russian authorities to the US written response to Russia’s proposals on security guarantees, which can be expressed in a telephone conversation or a personal meeting. This was stated on Friday at an online briefing by US Ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan.
“We will wait for the reaction and assessment of the Russian government to the written responses of the United States. Further, as Secretary of State [Anthony] Blinken noted, there will be a telephone conversation or a meeting. But nothing has been agreed yet,” he said.
The ambassador noted that such contact could happen in a short time and added that its date would depend on the Russian leadership. “It all depends on the Russian government, on their response to the documents provided by the US and NATO, and when they want to continue the discussion,” Sullivan said.
He stressed that the response that the United States provided to Russia carries a call for a de-escalation of the current situation. The Ambassador expressed hope that the document handed over by Washington to Moscow would influence this.
US responses to Russian proposals for security assurances contain counterproposals in the area of arms control and take into account Russian concerns, Sullivan said.
“We have proposed possible measures for mutual transparency with the Russian leadership, including with regard to weapons systems in Ukraine, military exercises and maneuvers in Europe, and [we have proposed] potential measures for arms control, including missiles in Europe,” he said. “These ideas have the potential to enhance our security. But they also take into account some Russian concerns,” the ambassador said.
According to Sullivan, the answers contain Washington’s proposals on areas where the US and Russia can find a common language to improve the European security situation. He also added that the responses were fully coordinated with NATO partners, the EU, as well as with Ukraine.
“We prefer the path of diplomacy and are ready to move forward where there is an opportunity for interaction,” he stressed.
Measures against Nord Stream 2 could become part of large-scale Western economic sanctions against the Russian Federation in the event of its invasion of Ukraine, Sullivan said.
“In the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, I would expect that the measures against Nord Stream 2 would be part of the significant, colossal economic consequences that would fall on Russia in such a scenario,” Sullivan said.
According to him, as long as there is no gas flowing through Nord Stream 2 and Russia does not receive income from this, Europe retains leverage over Moscow. He also emphasized that large-scale economic sanctions would be just one aspect of the West’s reaction in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Statements about such an allegedly impending “invasion”, which have recently been heard in Western countries, were previously called by the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov an empty and unfounded escalation of tension.
Earlier, a group of Democrats led by the Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced a bill called the Ukraine Sovereignty Protection Act of 2022 to the upper house of the US legislature. It involves the imposition of sanctions against the Russian President, Prime Minister, Foreign and Defense Ministers, Chief of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces and other representatives of the military leadership. In addition, restrictive measures may affect the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

The post US waits for Moscow’s response to security guarantees: Envoy appeared first on The Frontier Post.