US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that Russia’s position on security, outlined in the response, is fundamentally contrary to the basic principles of the United States. If Moscow continues to demand, Washington will have nothing to negotiate.
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He noted that the United States could take steps to strengthen collective security if it were to build confidence, reduce risk, participate in arms control, verify the deployment of weapons systems, forces or exercises on a reciprocal basis.
“If the Kremlin continues to insist on its demands and wants to send NATO to the positions of 1997, then Washington and Moscow will have nothing to agree on,” Blinken said.
He pointed out that Russia should show Western countries a desire for dialogue and explain what exactly it is striving for in the international arena, otherwise “there is nothing to work with.”
He explained that he had previously exchanged texts with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on proposals for security guarantees, and Moscow in its response adheres to those positions that do not allow finding common ground for further constructive dialogue.
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