US ambassador to Moscow, John Sullivan, who delivered on Wednesday Washington’s written response to Russian proposals for security guarantees to the Russian Foreign Ministry, says that the response includes counterproposals in the sphere of arms control and addresses Russia’s concerns.
According to Sullivan, the US response to Russia’s initiatives on security guarantees contains proposals – coordinated with the NATO partners and with Ukraine – in the spheres where the US and Russia can find a common language to improve the situation in European security.
He noted that the proposals address potential arms control measures related to missiles in Europe, confidence increasing measures regarding military exercises and maneuvers in Europe as well as the possibility of reciprocal transparency measures with the Russian government.
The US diplomat stressed that his country prefers diplomacy and is prepared to move forward where there is the possibility for cooperation, noting these ideas have the potential to enhance security and address Russia’s concerns at the same time.
The US and NATO handed over written responses on Moscow’s security guarantees to Russia on Jan. 26, but Washington requested that the documents not be made public. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agreed not to publish the US response on security guarantees but said they’ll disclose the general meaning of the replies.
However, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken enumerated their basic provisions according to which the West made no critical concessions to Russia but they indicate directions for further negotiations.
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