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Russia and NATO will hold talks on Wednesday on tensions in Ukraine, followed by another round of talks on security and cooperation in Europe. Ahead of the talks, White House spokeswoman Jen Zhaki said Washington was “too soon to say whether the Russians are serious about taking a diplomatic path.”
Talks between NATO and Russia are scheduled for Wednesday Ukraine Another round of talks will be held on Thursday in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
On Tuesday, the White House considered it “too early” to find out whether Russia is serious about easing security tensions in and around Ukraine.
After talks between US and Russian officials in Geneva, White House spokeswoman Zhen Zaki told reporters: “It is too early to say whether the Russians are serious about pursuing a diplomatic path.
He added that it should depend on whether they are willing to negotiate actively or use the talks as an excuse to say that diplomacy will not work.
Washington and its European allies are pressing Russia to withdraw its troops from the border with Ukraine, while Moscow wants the West to comply with a series of long-standing demands for security guarantees.
Psaki reiterated the US rejection of Russia’s request for Ukraine to refuse to join NATO in the future, saying “the decision in this matter is only with Ukraine and the 30 member states of the alliance, not other countries.”
“There is a set of discussions that could come up in a diplomatic context, but it is up to the Russians to decide whether or not to take a serious stand on it,” he added.
France 24 / AFP
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