The Biden administration announced on Tuesday that talks with Russia about Ukraine tensions and a variety of other topics will begin on January 10, in what American officials hope will be a gradual shift away from a possible military clash on Ukraine's eastern border and toward dialogue.
The news came after Russia announced that 10,000 combat and special forces personnel who were participating in drills were returning to their barracks. However, the move occurred far from Ukraine, and it was unclear whether it was part of the intense behind-the-scenes negotiations underway to persuade Russia to withdraw tens of thousands of troops from the border before genuine diplomacy can begin.
US, Russia to hold security, Ukraine talks
"Meaningful progress at the negotiation table, of course, will have to take place in the context of de-escalation, not escalation," Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden's national security adviser, said last week at the Council on Foreign Relations.
According to the New York Times, the fear of a military invasion of Ukraine, however, is crucial leverage for Moscow; and Russian officials say the January 10 discussions should focus on their proposed "treaty," which demands that NATO never admit Ukraine to membership or station its forces or weapons in former Soviet states.
Some of these countries are already members of NATO. The National Security Council did not specify the location of the conference in a statement, but Geneva is the most likely location as it has hosted prior rounds of nuclear weapons discussions.
It also didn't disclose who would be in charge of the delegation. Wendy Sherman, the deputy secretary of state, and Sergei Ryabkov, her Russian counterpart, have led the nuclear discussions. Biden's "policy on Ukraine has been clear and consistent: unite the alliance behind two tracks, deterrence, and diplomacy," according to the National Security Council.
In January, US and Russian officials will meet for a two-party "strategic security conversation," just before a pair of larger sessions with European allies keen to prevent a wider confrontation between Russia and Ukraine as the Kremlin wants a contraction of the transatlantic alliance.
Per Washington Examiner, that meeting on January 10 could signal a reduction in the geopolitical pressure that has been building in recent months as Russian forces have gathered around Ukraine's borders. It also puts European officials in the position of waiting for an update on the outcome of a meeting that could have an impact on their security - albeit one that will be followed by a NATO-Russia council meeting on January 12 and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's assembly on January 13.
President Joe Biden's team committed on December 17 that they would not debate "European security without Europeans in the room," as a senior administration official described it, and the format of the meetings is symbolic for all parties.
Russia will firmly protect national interests
On Tuesday, December 28, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that during the January security talks with the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO), they will resolutely protect their national interests. According to Russian state-owned Sputnik, Lavrov also stressed that they will "effectively" work towards their goals and will not make any unilateral compromises without considering the balance of interests.
He said this during the first meeting of the United Russia party's panel on international cooperation and support for compatriots abroad. On January 10, the US and Russia will hold long-awaited discussions on arms control and the situation in Ukraine.
He said this during the inaugural meeting of the United Russia party's panel on international cooperation and support for countrymen abroad. The United States and Russia will undertake much-anticipated talks on weapons control and the situation in Ukraine on January 10, as per Republic World.
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