WASHINGTON, Feb 1 The United States received a response from the Russian authorities to its proposal to de-escalate the ongoing crisis around Ukraine, the Associated Press reports, citing a source in the US administration. According to these data, the answer was given to the American side in writing. At the end of 2021, Russia published draft agreements with the United States and an agreement with NATO on security guarantees. Moscow, in particular, demands from its Western partners legal guarantees of refusing further eastward expansion of NATO, joining the Ukrainian bloc, and establishing military bases in post-Soviet countries. The proposals also contain a clause on the non-deployment of NATO strike weapons near Russia's borders and the withdrawal of alliance forces in Eastern Europe to the positions of 1997. Last Wednesday, the US and NATO sent to Moscow written responses to Russia's proposals on security guarantees. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow is studying the responses of the United States and NATO. Russia has repeatedly rejected accusations of the West and Ukraine of «aggressive actions», stating that it does not threaten anyone and is not going to attack anyone, and statements about «Russian aggression» are being 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 ability to help Kiev defend itself against it are both ridiculous and dangerous. >Fifth plane arrives in Kiev with US military aid
