A senior official of the US administration said on Saturday that the US and its allies are willing to discuss with Russia the prospect of each side suspending military drills and missile installations in the region during negotiations on Ukraine, Reuters reports.
The US is unwilling to discuss restrictions on US military deployments or the US force posture in NATO nations in the area, according to a senior Biden administration official, as important discussions begin on Monday in Geneva.
President Joe Biden has cautioned that if Russian President Vladimir Putin launches an assault on Ukraine, the country would suffer severe economic consequences. On Saturday, US officials released further details on the possible imposition of harsh penalties.
According to a person familiar with the idea, one limitation may target vital Russian industry sectors such as defense and civil aviation, as well as Russia’s high-tech goals in artificial intelligence and quantum computing, as well as consumer electronics.
The Geneva discussions, which will be followed by sessions in Brussels and Vienna next week, are aimed at preventing a crisis. Putin has gathered tens of thousands of troops near Ukraine’s border, raising concerns of an invasion.
It was uncertain if the US and its European allies would be able to make headway in their discussions with Moscow. Putin expects a stop to NATO’s eastward expansion as well as security assurances, which the US considers unreasonable.
However, a senior US official who briefed reporters prior to the meeting stated that there are certain areas where they might find a middle ground.
Russia claims it is threatened by the possibility of the US putting offensive missile systems in Ukraine, despite Biden’s assurances to Putin that this is not the case.
According to the official, the US is also open to discussing military drills limitations on both sides.
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