The two treaties submitted propose to prohibit any new enlargement of the Atlantic Alliance as well as the establishment of American military bases in the countries of the former Soviet area.
Le Monde with AFP
After new clashes with the West about Russian troops massed at the Ukrainian border, Russia unveiled on Friday, December 17, its proposals for treaties to limit the military influence of the United States and the Organization of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO) in its neighborhood, calling on the first to negotiate “from Saturday”.
The two texts, entitled “Treaty between the United States and the Russian Federation on Security Guarantees” and “Agreement on measures to ensure the safety of the Russian Federation and the Member States” of NATO Member States In particular, plan to prohibit any new enlargement of the Atlantic Alliance as well as the establishment of American military bases in the countries of the former Soviet area.
“It is essential that security guarantees for Russia are lying on paper and have been lawful,” said Vice Minister Foreign Affairs, Sergei Riabkov, presenting the press documents, which had been Given this week to a high official of American diplomacy. He also proposed the opening of the negotiations “tomorrow, in the true sense of the word, Saturday, December 18” and said that Moscow had proposed to the Americans that they take place in Geneva.
“Total absence. of “mutual
According to Mr. Riabkov, these proposals are the means of restoring West Russian cooperation in the “total absence of trust” mutual and given NATO’s “aggressive” policy “in the vicinity of Russia. ” The manager felt that it was to “restart the relationship from a blank page”.
In between other obligations, these treaties prohibit the United States from creating military bases in any non-NATO non-USSS country or even to “use their infrastructure for any military activity or to develop cooperation. bilateral military “. All members of the Atlantic Alliance also undertake to never expand NATO – including Ukraine – and to conduct any “military activity in the territory of Ukraine and other countries. Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia “.
“There will be no discussion on European security without our allies and European partners,” warned the spokesman for the White House, adding that the American executive had “seen” the proposals of Moscow. “We have succeeded for decades to negotiate with Russia around security issues (…). There is no reason that we can continue on this path, but we will do it in partnership and coordination with our allies and European partners “, insisted Jen Psaki, aboard the aircraft who took the president, Joe Biden, for a short visit to South Carolina.
Washington, NATO and the European Union accuse Moscow of massaged tens of thousands of troops to the borders of Ukraine and prepare a military operation. Westerners thus threaten Russia of unprecedented sanctions in case of invasion, but seem to exclude any military intervention.
For his part, the Kremlin rejects these accusations and says that Russia is under the threat of NATO, which weapons Kiev and multiplies the deployments of air and maritime means in the region of the Black Sea.