Emblem of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Brussels WASHINGTON, Jan 11 NATO will not return to the 1997 configuration that preceded the expansion of the alliance eastward at the expense of the former socialist countries and post-Soviet republics, the US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith told reporters. an alliance on a more modest scale, «she answered when asked about her attitude to Russia's demands» to go to the borders of 1997. «The political scientist spoke about the victory of Russian diplomacy in negotiations with the United States, Smith added that not a single member of the alliance is ready to abandon the «open door» policy. The Russian Federation and the United States held consultations on Moscow's proposals on security guarantees in Geneva on January 9-10 there will be a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council, and in Vienna — consultations at the platform of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Following the meeting in Switzerland, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergei Ryabkov said that for Moscow NATO's refusal to «develop the territory» of the states that have entered the alliance after 1997, obtaining legal guarantees for further non-expansion and refusing to deploy strike weapons near Russian borders is an «absolute imperative.» He stressed that Moscow explained in detail to the American partners the logic and content of its proposals. According to the diplomat, without progress in these three key areas, work on other aspects will be questionable. 
Russia has repeatedly denied accusations of «aggressive actions» by the West and Ukraine, stating that it does not threaten anyone and does not intend to attack anyone, and statements about «Russian aggression» are used as an excuse to deploy more NATO military equipment near Russian borders. The Russian Foreign Ministry previously noted that Western statements about «Russian aggression» and the possibility of helping Kiev defend itself against it are both ridiculous and dangerous. sides of Russia at the borders of Ukraine. Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is moving troops within its territory and at its own discretion. According to him, this does not threaten anyone and should not worry anyone.
