Russia broadens security demands from West, seeking to curb U.S. and NATO influence on borders

3 yıl önce

MOSCOW â Russia on Friday spelled out its demands for sweeping new security guarantees from the United States and NATO, demanding pledges that would halt NATO eastward expansion and block U.S. military ties with former Soviet states.

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The central tenets of Russia âsphere of influenceâ doctrine â including demands for an effective veto on other nationsâ foreign and security policies â have repeatedly been dismissed as non-starters by NATO officials.

But the latest announcement by the Kremlin underscores its confrontation West over Ukraine, which Russia views as part of its political orbit.

Russiaâs military buildup near Ukraine has raised Western alarm that President Vladimir Putin may be weighing a new attack on Ukraine, where Western-allied forces have battled Russian-backed separatists since 2014 in eastern regions. Russia denies it plans any move across the border, but has used the crisis to press its demands that Ukraine remains out of NATO.

In a video meeting last week, President Biden warned Putin that Russia would face tough new sanctions, in the case of a military escalation against Ukraine. The European Union is also debating possible new sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine.

Ukrainians in Kyiv voiced concern on Dec. 15, as the threat of another Russian invasion has some in the region on edge. (The Washington Post)

Russiaâs demand that NATO bar the admission of Ukraine, Georgia or any other country on NATOâs eastern flank has long been ruled out by the alliance.

Russia published two lists of demands: to Washington and NATO, the latter calling for the removal of all NATO military infrastructure installed in Eastern European countries after that time. The demands on NATO would prevent the alliance carrying out any military activity outside its territory in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The deal Russia seeks with the United States would significantly weaken Ukraine, forcing it to abandon its aspirations to join NATO, and cutting Kyiv off from the U.S. military aid and weapons it needs to defend itself, even as a long-running war with Russia-backed separatists in the countryâs east continues to claim casualties, with more than 14,000 killed since it began in 2014.