The first day of talks between Russia and the United States in Geneva over Russia’s military build-up on Ukraine’s eastern border and its desire for security assurances from the West ended with no substantial progress.
But negotiators on both sides of the table claimed that they had achieved success simply by meeting and opening lines of communication.
CNN reported that the two sides have agreed to further discuss the possibility of a new nuclear missile treaty between the U.S. and Russia. They also see a path forward on reducing NATO missile positions in Ukraine and eastern Europe and limiting military exercises by both parties in and around Ukraine.
However, neither side was ready to budge on the essential issues – that Russia de-escalate and withdraw troops from Ukraine’s borders and that the U.S. guarantee that NATO would never provide Ukraine with an opportunity for NATO membership.
“For us it is absolutely mandatory that Ukraine never becomes a NATO member,“
said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who leads the Russian negotiation team in Geneva, according to CNN.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the chief U.S. Negotiator, pushed back: “We will not allow anyone to slam closed NATO’s open door policy.”
At the center of the Geneva discussions is the threat of war posed by a Russian military build-up of more than 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s eastern flank and the refusal of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to back down after weeks of diplomatic squabbling between the Kremlin and Washington.
Putin is specifically insisting on security guarantees from NATO, including that Ukraine will never become a member of the alliance. Many experts believe his broader strategic intention is to return Ukraine to Russia’s sphere of interest through a multi-party agreement, much like Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill re-drew the map of Europe at Yalta, after World War II.
Putin has gone so far as to indicate that without security guarantees, the Kremlin might see military action against Ukraine as the only remaining alternative to assure its security needs.
White House Spokesperson Jen Psaki, speaking at her daily press briefing, said the White House was satisfied with the first day of talks, but that much work lay ahead.
She noted that Putin must decide whether Russia will take the path of escalation or the path of diplomacy. “We certainly hope he takes the path of diplomacy,” said Psaki. She urged for de-escalation in a “frank and forthright” manner.
Talks will continue this week in Brussels and Vienna, with the NATO-Russia Council and OSCE meeting. The Geneva talks are expected to continue afterwards.
