Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov meet in the Kremlin on February 14, 2022. (Photo credit: ALEXEI NIKOLSKY/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)
[See China February 16, 2022 News](See Chinese reporter Ge Yushi compiled/comprehensive report) This Monday (February 14)Putinmet hisForeign Minister Lavrov, the full record of the talks can be seen on the official website of the Kremlin.Talks between Putin and Lavrov discuss WesternRussiaResponses to legally binding security assurances requested. Lavrov reported to Putin,The westresponse was unsatisfactory, but Russia’sdiplomaticOpportunities are far from exhausted and negotiations should still continue.
According to the minutes of the meeting, when Lavrov posed a formal question to all the member states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe regarding the Western reply, he received no reply from the member states, only the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs (Briel) and Written comments by NATO Secretary General (Stoltenberg), and very brief. Lavrov pointed out to Putin that these follow-up questions are sent to member states.
So why did Brill and Stoltenberg respond? Russia expert Alexander Mercouris explained that NATO and the EU do not believe that all member states can come up with the “right” answers to these questions; instead of letting Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia and others come up with their own The answer is not as good as Brussels’ answer in person. So they told member states, please don’t reply to the Russian question, we will do it on your behalf. The replies were not made public, and Lavrov simply told Putin that the replies were very brief.
Putin asked Lavrov: “If this is the case, is there any point in continuing discussions with the West?”
Lavrov said: “We have prepared 10 pages of responses to the Americans and NATO to our initial request. There is also a lot of diplomatic activity going on, we are meeting with various people, It is still too early to stop diplomatic efforts.”
Putin asked his foreign minister: “Do you think we still have a chance to reach an agreement with the West on issues that concern us? Or are we likely to be dragged into endless negotiations?”
Lavrov told Putin, “As the head of the foreign ministry, I must say that there is always an opportunity, and I am referring to your recent meetings with the leaders of the United States and France, the German Federal Chancellor will also be here, and the Polish Foreign Minister will also be here. Come, the Italian foreign minister will visit Moscow in a few days, and other meetings are planned.”
Lavrov continued, “We have been working to explain why Russia’s position is correct, and are willing to listen to serious rebuttals.” Mrs. Lavrov believes that “our opportunities are far from exhausted, and negotiations should still continue.”
Russia expert Mercurys pointed out that in the past few weeks, Americans have avoided talking about Russia’s demand for legally binding security guarantees, but the situation in Ukraine and its surrounding areas has also made the United States nervous, so the United States Repackaging Russia’s previous proposals, which the United States had ignored Moscow’s proposals, was written into the first reply.
The recommendations, which the Russian General Staff presented to NATO in 2020, include moving military exercises out of the line of contact between Russia and NATO, agreeing on a minimum distance for military aircraft and ships to live in harmony, and a number of other measures to build confidence in military technology.
Mercurith commented that Moscow has seen that the United States has made some very specific responses to Moscow’s initiative two years ago, showing its willingness to negotiate seriously. It is clear that Moscow’s initiative on European security, which clearly articulates Russia’s fundamental interests, has shocked Western powers and can no longer ignore Moscow’s many past calls.
Therefore, Lavrov’s advice to Putin is not to be prepared to discuss these issues in pieces, but to discuss them as part of an overall package of legal guarantees to ensure that an overall agreement is finally reached, providing Russia with legal Binding security guarantee. In other words, the Russians believe that they have regained the diplomatic initiative and made some progress with Western powers, although this is clearly not enough.
At the same time, everyone in the West, Americans, Germans, French, Italians, even Poles, are now focusing on Moscow, all heading to Moscow, all eager to talk to Putin and Lavrov. Mercuries noted that after lengthy negotiations, some kind of agreement to rebuild the European security architecture could be reached. The French seem to have subscribed to the idea, otherwise the Russians would soon call off the talks and go ahead with military tactics.
For example, the deployment of the “Poseidon” underwater nuclear-powered unmanned submarine and the Skyfall nuclear-powered hypersonic cruise missile. All of these new, very dangerous and very unstable weapons are being deployed, which will further alter the military and security balance in Europe, putting additional pressure on the West until eventually, the Western powers have largely complied with Moscow’s demands.
Source: Watch China
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