U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he’s not expecting a breakthrough in security talks with Russia in Geneva on Monday. File Photo by Toms Kalnins/EPA-EFE
Jan. 10 (UPI) — The United States and Russia began a new round of security talks in Switzerland on Monday, which is expected to include new warnings about Moscow’s designs in Ukraine — but U.S. officials are skeptical about achieving breakthrough at the talks.
U.S. officials and Western allies are part of the new talks in Geneva. They are expected to discuss a range of issues, including election interference and arms agreements.
At the top of the list, however, is Ukraine, where Russia has mounted a troop buildup over a number of months. U.S. officials and allies fear a military move across the border — as Russia worries about Ukraine joining NATO, which it has said would pose a significant security threat.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman is leading negotiations for the White House, while Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin are attending for the Kremlin.
Ukrainian troops are seen during a military exercise near Kiev, Ukraine, on December 18, 2021. Photo by Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA-EFE
Russia has amassed hundreds of troops along Ukraine’s eastern border, creating fears that it intends to invade the breakaway nation. Fueling the concerns is Russia’s forced annexation of Crimea in 2014.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pushed back against Russian claims that Ukraine has been the aggressor in the tense standoff.
“The idea that Ukraine is the aggressor in this situation is absurd,” Blinken said in a statement on Sunday. “It’s Russia that invaded Ukraine nearly eight years ago. It’s Russia whose military occupies part of Ukraine in Crimea. It’s Russia that’s taken aim repeatedly at Ukraine’s democracy.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he’s not preparing to invade Ukraine and that Moscow has the right the move its military where it sees fit within its own borders.
“The time for assessments will come in several hours,” Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said about the meeting Monday in a statement on the state-run TASS news agency. “One way or another, Ryabkov will provide his assessment once it’s over. It’s too early to assess.”