{"id":20984,"date":"2022-01-12T11:11:14","date_gmt":"2022-01-12T11:11:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/01\/12\/nato-russia-in-high-level-talks-as-ukraine-tensions-simmer\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:11:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:11:31","slug":"nato-russia-in-high-level-talks-as-ukraine-tensions-simmer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/flashpoints\/2022\/01\/12\/nato-russia-in-high-level-talks-as-ukraine-tensions-simmer\/","title":{"rendered":"NATO, Russia in high-level talks as Ukraine tensions simmer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BRUSSELS (AP) \u2014 Senior NATO and Russian officials were meeting Wednesday to try to bridge seemingly irreconcilable differences over the future of Ukraine<\/a>, amid deep skepticism that Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s security proposals for easing tension<\/a>s are genuine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The talks come during a week of high-stakes diplomacy and a U.S.-led effort to prevent preparations for what Washington believes could be a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Moscow denies it is planning an attack. Still, its history of military action in Ukraine and Georgia worries NATO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin were stern-faced as they posed for the media before the NATO-Russia Council. There was no public handshake, although the Russian delegation fist-bumped officials from the 30 NATO member countries inside the meeting venue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman led the U.S. team at NATO headquarters in Brussels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stoltenberg tweeted that \u201cit is a timely opportunity for dialogue at a critical moment for European security. When tensions are high, it is even more important that we sit down around the same table and address our concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meeting, the first of its kind in over two years, was due to run for about three hours. The NATO-Russia Council, their chief forum for talks, was set up two decades ago but full meetings paused when Russia annexed Ukraine\u2019s Crimean Peninsula in 2014. It has met only sporadically since, the last time in July 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With around 100,000 combat-ready Russian troops backed by tanks, artillery and heavy equipment massed just across Ukraine\u2019s eastern border, Wednesday\u2019s gathering has taken on great significance, yet it still seems destined to fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese are completely unacceptable proposals,\u201d Estonian Defense Minister Kalle Laanet told public broadcaster ERR on the eve of the talks. Estonia, like its Baltic neighbors Latvia and Lithuania, relies on U.S. security guarantees provided by its membership in NATO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Putin says Russia\u2019s demands are simple, but key parts of the proposals contained in the documents that Moscow has made public \u2014 a draft agreement<\/a> with NATO countries and the offer of a treaty<\/a> between Russia and the United States \u2014 won\u2019t pass muster at the 30-country military organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NATO would have to agree to halt all membership plans, not just with Ukraine, and scale down its presence in countries like Estonia close to Russia\u2019s borders. In exchange, Russia would pledge to limit its war games, as well as end aircraft buzzing incidents and other low-level hostilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Endorsing such an agreement would require NATO to reject a key part of its founding treaty. Under Article 10 of the 1949 Washington Treaty<\/a>, the organization can invite in any willing European country that can contribute to security in the North Atlantic area and fulfill the obligations of membership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt has become crystal clear that not a single ally inside the NATO alliance is willing to budge or negotiate anything as it relates to NATO\u2019s open door policy,\u201d Julianne Smith, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, said Tuesday. \u201cI cannot imagine any scenario where that is up for discussion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t