Russia (Washington Insider Magazine) -On Monday, US and Russian diplomats began a round of high-stakes discussions in Geneva, as tensions over Ukraine continue to remain at an all-time high.
In recent months, Russia has increased its military presence along the border with Ukraine, raising fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin is contemplating an invasion. Russia has disputed the allegations, claiming that it has the right to station troops wherever it wants on its own soil.
During talks last month, Putin demanded guarantees from his US counterpart, President Joe Biden, that Ukraine would not be allowed to join NATO, since it sees an extension of the western military alliance eastward as a security danger. Biden, on the other hand, declined to make such promises. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told ABC News in the United States on Sunday that he doesn’t foresee any development in Russian foreign Policy as long as tensions on the Ukraine border continue rising.
The world is looking to see if there are any signs of thawing in the United States’ and Russia’s icy relations.
At security discussions with Russia, the US and its allies will discuss election meddling, arms agreements, Ukraine, and other matters, according to White House spokesperson Jen Psaki.
Negotiations are being led by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov serving as Moscow’s chief negotiator.
The Atlantic Council’s president and chief executive officer, Fred Kempe, noted Monday that this week of meetings “may be the most important week for Biden in his entire presidency from a foreign policy perspective.”
Not everyone is pessimistic about the talks’ prospects, or about Russia-Western ties in general.
“If the sides can agree that they’re not going to do advanced deployments either close to Ukraine on the Russian side, or close to Russia on the Western side then you could have a deal.” ” It has been done before, why could it not be done again?” Christopher Granville, managing director of TS Lombard’s Political Research, told CNBC on Monday.
“Well, the answers are, I suppose, that the atmosphere is absolutely toxic, there is zero trust and everyone dislikes each other but stranger things have been seen and it’s been done before and I think the upside is being underestimated.”