Russia confirms receiving written response from US on security proposals

MOSCOW (Sputniknews): In mid-December, the Russian Foreign Ministry presented draft security guarantee proposals for consideration by the United States and its allies, proposing that both sides significantly scale back activities which could be perceived as threatening to the other side, and demanding that Ukraine and other post-Soviet republics be kept out of NATO.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has confirmed receiving the US’ written response to the security proposals outlined by Moscow in December.

Earlier, Bloomberg reported that the United States had delivered its written response on the draft treaties to its Russian counterparts.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is set to hold a press conference later in the day and is expected to address the agreements.

“NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will give an online press conference today, 26 January, at 19:00 CET [18:00 GMT],” NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said in a statement.

Earlier, CNN reported that Washington’s written response lists general areas where Washington is ready to work with Moscow, including arms control and greater transparency, as well as the placement of missile systems. The White House indicated Tuesday that the US was not going to make public its response to the Russian proposals. Russia will keep the US response confidential should they ask for it not to be published, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov