NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called on Russia on Wednesday night to withdraw its forces from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. He made proposals for the Alliance to restore NATO-Russia law.

“We urge Russia to immediately ease the situation. NATO immediately drafted written proposals for Russia. We have done this in parallel with the United States. “

He highlighted three main areas in which NATO exists as a “place for progress”.

“NATO-Russia relations. Russia has cut off diplomatic relations with NATO, which does not hinder dialogue. We should restore the Moscow and Brussels offices. We should use existing channels of communication between armies to promote transparency and reduce risks and use a civilian line in case of emergencies.

European security, including the situation in Ukraine. We are ready to listen to Russia’s concerns and engage in a real conversation about how to maintain and strengthen the fundamental principles of European security that we have all agreed to, following the Helsinki Accords. These include the right of each nation to choose its own security conditions.

Russia should refrain from a position of coercive force, aggressive rhetoric and malicious activities against the Allies and other nations.

Russia should also withdraw its forces from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, where they are deployed without the consent of all those countries, and the parties should engage constructively in efforts to resolve conflicts, including through the Normandy format.

Third, risk reduction, transparency and arms control.

The history of whose problems can provide real security for everyone. So we need practical measures that will make a real difference.

(…)

The allies are ready to meet as soon as possible.

In all our efforts, we continue to coordinate closely with Ukraine, as well as with other NATO partners, including Finland, Sweden, Georgia and, of course, the EU.

NATO is a defensive alliance and we are not looking for a confrontation. But we cannot and will not compromise the principles on which the security of our Alliance and the security of Europe and North America are based.

We remain fully committed to our founding treaty and to our collective commitment under Article 5.

We will take all necessary measures to defend and protect all the Allies, “said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

The NATO chief’s remarks come as a result of Russia’s call for the Alliance to withdraw its armed forces from Romania and Bulgaria and return to its pre-1997 borders.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Wednesday that the United States had sent written answers to Russia’s requests for security guarantees as part of negotiations to avoid a Russian military escalation against Ukraine, and stressed that there would be no change in the policy of open doors. Washington on NATO.

Moscow made a number of demands to Washington in December on the European security architecture, calling in particular for the exclusion of any further NATO enlargement to the East, especially Ukraine, the cessation of Alliance cooperation with the former Soviet bloc state and the abandonment of maneuvers. the deployment of NATO troops in states that joined the alliance after 1997.

Consultations between Moscow and Washington on January 10 on these demands did not lead to a compromise, while Western officials described Moscow’s demands as unacceptable, threatening them with harsh sanctions if it attacks Ukraine, whose border is focused on significant numbers. Russian military.

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Editor: Alexandru Costea