U.S., Russia Remain Far Apart In Talks Over Ukraine Tensions

"U.S. and Russian negotiators held their first security talks since Russia's deployment of tens of thousands of troops to the Ukrainian border sparked fears of an invasion, but they left the talks saying they had failed to narrow their differences.

Although both sides described Monday's discussions in Geneva as businesslike, they remain at odds over Moscow's demands that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the postwar military alliance of Western powers, halt its expansion in Europe, as well as the U.S.'s insistence that Russia remove more than 100,000 troops arrayed near Ukraine's border.

The troop buildup has prompted concerns that President Vladimir Putin of Russia intends to invade a country he considers part of Russia's sphere of influence or has created a crisis to extract security concessions from the West.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov of Russia said Moscow had "no intentions to attack Ukraine" and that the West needn't fear "any kind of escalation."

But many U.S. officials believe otherwise. "We believe the threat of invasion is real," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on NBC after the talks concluded.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, who led the talks for Washington, said after Monday's round concluded, "We're just at the beginning, and we don't know where all of this is headed quite yet."

Mr. Ryabkov described the talks as "difficult, long, very professional, specific, without any attempts to embellish anything, to get around any sharp corners." But, he said, "The main questions are on hold, and we do not see the American side's readiness to resolve them in a way that suits us."

Few expected much progress from Monday's talk because the two parties came to the meeting with starkly different goals. The U.S. hoped to ease tensions over Ukraine by involving the Russians in talks over intermediate-range missiles in Europe and the scope of military exercises. Russia, meanwhile, said its aim was to remake the post-Cold War security arrangements in Europe by halting NATO's expansion, curtailing the alliance's ties with Ukraine and parts of the former Soviet Union, and severely restricting military deployments on the territory of the alliance's Eastern European members.

The differences were displayed immediately in the separate news conferences the two sides gave after the nearly eight-hour meeting.

"We will not allow anyone to slam closed NATO's open-door policy, which has always been central to the NATO alliance," Ms. Sherman said.

Mr. Ryabkov countered, "It is very important that Ukraine can never join NATO in the future. We need iron, legal obligations, not promises, but guarantees.. . .This is a matter of Russia's national security."

An important objective for U.S. officials was to gauge whether Russia was ready to pursue a reduction of tensions on terms NATO might accept or was keeping open its military options to attack Ukraine.

The U.S. and Russian sides also sketched out divergent timelines for further talks. Ms. Sherman said arms control and other security issues are complicated and can't be negotiated in a matter of weeks. Mr. Ryabkov said Russian demands need to be dealt with urgently and "we can't afford any additional delays."

"We do expect to be in touch with the Russian Federation again in coming days to determine when and how this conversation will go forward," State Department spokesman Ned Price said, referring to the bilateral talks between the U.S. and Russia.

Some of the security issues will also be taken up again in Brussels on Wednesday in a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council, a forum for consultations with Moscow. Ms. Sherman and Mr. Ryabkov will lead their nations' delegations to the session.

It will mark the first time the council has met in more than two years.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said after a Monday meeting with Ukraine Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna that the organization was hoping for agreement on a way forward. "I really hope there is a real will on both sides. . .to engage in a process that prevents a new armed conflict in Europe," he said." [1]

1. U.S., Russia Remain Far Apart In Talks Over Ukraine Tensions
Gordon, Michael R; Mauldin, William. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 11 Jan 2022: A.1.