Lavrov on Outcomes of Negotiations with US Secretary of State

In Geneva, following the negotiations between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Lavrov held a press conference, as reported by RIA Novosti.

The main topic of discussion was Moscow's proposals regarding security guarantees and the situation in Ukraine. According to Lavrov, the American side promised to provide a written response to the Russian proposals next week. “We had an interim meeting, and Antony Blinken told me that he was satisfied with the exchange of ideas, which will help us provide a written response next week. By the way, this was emphasized several times,” said the Russian diplomat.

Moscow has repeatedly talked about the necessity of such a step, while warning that it “will not wait indefinitely” for a response. “We are waiting for an official response to our proposals, after which we plan to have another meeting at a high level. President Putin is always ready for communication with President Biden; it is clear that these meetings must be prepared seriously,” Lavrov noted.

The Russian Foreign Minister pointed out that while discussing the cessation of NATO's expansion, the American side once again used the argument of the alliance's free choice. According to Lavrov, Moscow highlighted the contradictory nature of such a stance. The US, for example, has repeatedly affirmed within the OSCE framework the unacceptability of ensuring the security of some states at the expense of others. He reminded that NATO's anti-Russian orientation is enshrined in the alliance's doctrine; therefore, Moscow is fundamentally opposed to the expansion of the alliance.

Lavrov stated that during the negotiations, the American delegation sought to allocate more time to the Ukrainian issue, pushing it to the forefront. However, he emphasized that the entire subject of European diplomatic architecture cannot be limited to this issue. The minister once again emphasized that Russia does not intend to attack its neighbors. At the same time, he suggested that the series of accusations directed at Moscow aims to divert international attention from Kyiv's attempts to obstruct a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Donbass.

Foreign Minister Lavrov expressed a positive view of the outcomes of the negotiations. He also expressed hope that future dialogue between the two countries would be less emotional, although there are no guarantees for that.