The building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation MOSCOW, February 7Moscow intends to press the United States to discuss security guarantees in a complex, without Washington pulling out options to its taste, emphasizes that the prospects for a dialogue on strategic stability depend on success in this area, the director of the Department for Nonproliferation and Arms Control of the Foreign Ministry said in an interview with RIA Novosti Russian Federation Vladimir Yermakov. At the end of 2021, Russia published drafts of a treaty 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 expansion of NATO to the east, from joining the Ukrainian bloc and from establishing military bases in post-Soviet countries. The proposals also contain a clause on the non-deployment of NATO strike weapons near the borders of Russia and the withdrawal of alliance forces in Eastern Europe to the positions of 1997. At the end of January, the United States and NATO sent to Moscow written responses to Russia's proposals on security assurances. uploads/2022/02/0eb7d597fb85846039cb7b97588a3dfb.jpg» />InfographicsThe first meeting between the Russian Federation and the United States, dedicated to the dialogue on Russian initiatives, was held on January 10 at the level of deputy heads of foreign affairs agencies. At the same time, the United States, commenting on the negotiations with the Russian Federation, calls them meetings within the framework of a strategic dialogue. Commenting on such a difference in approaches, Yermakov noted that Moscow will «seek from Washington a discussion of Russian initiatives in a complex, not allowing any then individual plots or options to your liking». He added that the urgency of discussing the topic of security guarantees «shifted» several topics on the «strategic agenda» into the background. the moment of understanding regarding the schedule of new meetings within the framework of the strategic dialogue has not been reached,» the diplomat stated. Speaking about the functioning of the two working groups within the framework of the strategic dialogue, Yermakov added that as events develop, «if such a need arises, the parties may well then «reformatting», including the creation of new workgroups». 66d2b8485ad162e621698f7b2fe850f2.jpg» />Infographic
