US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken and European Foreign Minister Josep Borrell agreed on Wednesday that “any discussion on European security” with Russia “will be conducted in coordination and with the participation of the European Union,” according to a press release from Brussels.
In a telephone conversation, the two senior officials “also stressed the importance of using diplomatic channels and relevant international and regional fora, such as the OSCE, to address these challenges,” the statement said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said he expects the first Russia-US and Russia-NATO talks on Moscow’s security measures in the wake of the Ukrainian crisis to take place in January.
Blinken and Borrell “stressed the need for coordinated action to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and reaffirmed that any new Russian military aggression against Ukraine would have serious consequences” for Russia, according to a statement from the US Secretary of State’s spokesman , Ned Price.
Deputy Secretary of State for Europe Karen Donfried, who said on Tuesday that the dialogue is expected to begin in January, has already assured that there will be “no discussion on European security without Europeans.” that with the North Atlantic Alliance, she said. On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to want a face-to-face discussion with the United States. Karen Donfried also warned Moscow that some of its demands were unacceptable.
Russia last week unveiled two draft treaties, one for the United States and the other for NATO, containing its demands for a de-escalation of tensions. They ban NATO enlargement, especially to Ukraine, and limit Western military cooperation in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet countries without imposing similar measures on Russia.
Josep Borrell had earlier stated on Wednesday that the EU was willing to cooperate “with the US and NATO to ensure that its interests are represented in any possible discussion with Russia on European security.” “Europe’s security is under threat today.” he said.
Westerners accuse Russia of aggressive tendencies after Moscow massacred tens of thousands of soldiers on the border with Ukraine.
Meanwhile, in Wednesday’s telephone conversation, the heads of US and European diplomacy expressed “a common concern over China’s political pressure and economic coercion against Lithuania, which has repercussions on US and European companies,” according to the State Department statement. US and EU solidarity with Lithuania.
