Russia clarified outstanding US questions on security guarantees, says diplomat

Maria Zakharova

MOSCOW, January 23. /TASS/: The Russian side at the Geneva talks furnished the United States with explanations concerning all the outstanding questions on security guarantees and continues to wait for a written response to its initiatives, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday.

"We proceed from facts. We have work to do and the Russian foreign ministry is doing it. On our part, we conveyed everything, provided additional explanations as the US side still had questions. Now we are waiting for written response," she said in an interview with the Rossiya-1 television channel.

Following the January 21 talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Geneva, Washington agreed to give Moscow a written response to its proposals on security guarantees, after which the two top diplomats plan to hold another meeting.

On December 17, 2021, the Russian foreign ministry released a draft agreement on security guarantees between Russia and the United States, and a draft agreement on ensuring the security of Russia and NATO member states. The proposed measures include guarantees that NATO will not advance eastward, including the accession of Ukraine and other countries into the alliance, as well as non-deployment of serious offensive weapons, including nuclear ones.