Russia has massed over the past few months tens of thousands of soldiers near the borders of Ukraine and demanded security guarantees from the West, including the cessation of all military cooperation between NATO and Ukraine.
Le Monde with AFP and Reuters
Before the US-Russian talks Monday, January 10 in Geneva to defuse the risk of Russian intervention in Ukraine, NATO shows its unity. Russia, which in recent months has massed tens of thousands of soldiers near the border of Ukraine, calling for security guarantees from the West, including the cessation of all military cooperation between NATO and Ukraine and Georgia and any expansion of the alliance to Eastern Europe.
“The military strengthening of Russia continues around Ukraine and is accompanied by a threatening speech in Moscow if its demands are not accepted. Now they are unacceptable and the risk of a new conflict is real” said, Friday, January 7, the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, after a video conference meeting with the foreign ministers of the 30 member countries of the Alliance.
Proposals Moscow
The Kremlin has made public at the end of last year two draft treaties committing NATO to exclude any future accession of Ukraine and reduce its forces near the border with Russia. “There is no question that NATO compromise on the principle of the right of each nation to choose its own path, including the type of security agreement which it wants to join,” said Mr. Stoltenberg.
But the allies set conditions. “The Russian government must conduct a de-escalation, pursue diplomatic channels and its commitments on transparency of military activities,” and demanded the British foreign minister, Liz Truss. His Polish counterpart, Zbigniew Rau, for his part, said that “the talks with Russia can only take place in a situation of climbing towards Ukraine and NATO.” “No discussion on the security of Europe will be held without the Europeans at the negotiating table,” insisted Jens Stoltenberg.
The United States will not let “distracted” by the Russian demands to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, said the head of US diplomacy, Tony Blinken. He promised in Kiev there would be “no discussion on Ukraine without Ukraine.” A “diplomatic solution” with Russia “is still possible” if Moscow plays the game of dialogue to defuse the crisis over Ukraine, he said.
“We are ready to respond with force to a new Russian aggression. But a diplomatic solution is still possible, and preferable, if Russia chooses this path,” he said before a week of talks between the West and Moscow.
“The whole geopolitical situation in the region requires that Europe, the European Union may propose his vision, act and get around the table with all the stakeholders,” insisted Friday french President Emmanuel Macron, at a meeting in Paris with members of the European Commission, chaired by the German Ursula von der Leyen.
No NATO intervention in Ukraine
“We have to prepare for the prospect that the consultation fails, warned Jens Stoltenberg. If Russia decides to use military means against a neighbor, it will be hit by severe economic sanctions and policies.”
But NATO will not intervene militarily, because Ukraine is not a member country of the Atlantic Alliance, he repeated. “Ukraine is a partner, but is not covered by the collective defense clause between thirty allies,” said he said. The Alliance, however, is preparing to strengthen its military presence on its eastern flank. “We have significant capabilities,” said Jens Stoltenberg, recalling that NATO rapid reaction force of 40 000 men.
After the Geneva talks, Moscow has agreed to participate Wednesday in a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council, the first since the summer of 2019. “This is a positive signal because tensions are high,” said Jens Stoltenberg . A meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe will follow in Vienna the next day.