In the weeks-long stalemate over the Ukraine crisis, two top diplomats from
the United States and Russia met at a crisis point to defuse tensions.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov tried to defuse tensions when the two met in Geneva, Switzerland, on
Friday (21/1/2022) morning.
The US has voiced its growing concern that a Russian invasion is imminent. The
Kremlin has amassed as many as 100,000 troops on Kiev's doorstep, but has
repeatedly denied planning to attack.
Previous talks ended in a stalemate in which the US and NATO rejected Moscow's
demands on the West's alliance relations with Ukraine and other ex-Soviet
states.
"We didn't expect to settle our differences here today. But I hope and hope
that we can test whether the path of diplomacy or dialogue remains open,"
Blinken told Lavrov.
"This is a critical time," he added, as reported by NBC News. Meanwhile,
Lavrov said he did not expect a breakthrough in these negotiations. "What we
hope for is a concrete answer to our concrete proposal," he stressed.
The US and its allies have sought to present a united front, warning of
"severe" consequences including tough economic sanctions on Russia. But there
are signs of division within the transatlantic alliance over how to respond to
Russian aggression.
President Joe Biden has come under fire for making a distinction between a
"small attack" and a major one, suggesting a small-scale Russian operation may
receive a milder response.
"It depends on what he's doing. It's one thing if it's a minor attack and we
end up having to fight about what to do and not to do," Biden said at a news
conference last Wednesday to mark one year in office.
Biden also predicted that Russian President Vladimir Putin would attack
Ukraine. "My guess is he will move, he has to do something," he said.
His comments quickly sparked criticism from Washington to Kiev, with some
accusing Biden of giving Russia the green light to launch an attack. Biden
sought to clarify his comments on Thursday, saying that any movement of
Russian troops into Ukraine would be seen as an invasion.
And Blinken also stressed the West's commitment to defending Ukraine. "We are
very clear if any Russian military forces move across Ukraine's borders and
commit new acts of aggression against Ukraine that will be met with a swift,
violent, unified response from the United States and our allies and partners,"
he told reporters.
After meeting Ukraine's president in Kiev and top diplomats from Britain,
France and Germany in Berlin this week, Blinken met with Lavrov in what is
likely to be a last-ditch attempt at dialogue.
Russia wants binding security guarantees, including a permanent ban on
Ukraine's membership in NATO and the elimination of most of the military
presence of the US and its allies in eastern Europe.
The US and its European partners have said they are willing to consider
certain actions that are less dramatic, but Russia's demands are unlikely and
Putin knows they are no newbies. Read also: US flatly rejects Russia's request
to stop NATO expansion.
