Russia and & nbsp; NATO may find a political solution to their differences, although the threat of conflict still persists, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told Financial Times.
“ You can find a solution, a political solution, and & nbsp; also take into account Russia's concerns & hellip; However, the risk of conflict persists & raquo;, & nbsp; & mdash; said & nbsp; he.
Stoltenberg remembered & nbsp; history of Russia, which, according to & nbsp; his words, & nbsp; for & nbsp; for centuries experienced conflicts with & nbsp; neighbors. However, now there is an alternative: cooperation with the & nbsp; alliance, the secretary general pointed out.
He & nbsp; noted that & nbsp; the United States and & nbsp; NATO are ready to discuss with & nbsp; Russia such possible measures to & nbsp; defuse tensions, as & nbsp; arms control and & nbsp; ensuring greater transparency of the exercises. Moscow's requirements for & nbsp; security guarantees, in & nbsp; in particular, relate to the ban on & nbsp; entry of Ukraine and & nbsp; other post-Soviet countries into the & nbsp; bloc and & nbsp; military activity on & nbsp; the territory of these states. Stoltenberg previously & nbsp; has already ruled out Russia's concessions on & nbsp; Ukraine.
The NATO Secretary General urged “to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.”
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said earlier that & nbsp; does not & nbsp; expect progress on the & nbsp; results of negotiations with & nbsp; Russia under & nbsp; conditions, when it “ put a weapon to the & nbsp; head of Ukraine '' and & nbsp; concentrated troops at & nbsp; its borders. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned in & nbsp; then & nbsp; while & nbsp; Russia, if she & nbsp; doesn & nbsp; manage to get security guarantees from & nbsp; West, can resort to & nbsp; other means to & nbsp; & nbsp; & quot; intimidation of opponents & raquo; and & nbsp; and & nbsp; deterring the threat.
President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated the & nbsp; desire of Russia to receive legal guarantees from Western countries. He raised this question, in & nbsp; in particular, during a conversation with & nbsp; American colleague Joe Biden in & nbsp; December.
Later, the Foreign Ministry announced draft agreements with the United States and & nbsp; NATO. In & nbsp; they, among other things, contain clauses about & nbsp; refusal of the alliance from & nbsp; advancement to the & nbsp; east, non-entry into & nbsp; countries of the former USSR and & nbsp; a ban on & nbsp; military activities on & nbsp; territory of Ukraine.
Next week there will be a series negotiations between Russia and the US, NATO and the OSCE.