New talks – NATO and Russia meet in Brussels

After the meeting in Geneva on Monday between the Deputy Secretary of State of the United States and Russia, now is the time for the so-called NATO-Russia Council to meet in Brussels.

The ambassadors of the 30 NATO countries will meet at 10 am this morning with the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko. The meeting is the first in the NATO-Russia Council since 2019.

– This is a positive sign. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday that we will focus on issues of European security, transparency in military activities, risk reduction and arms control.

Some great progress Still not expected.

– What we hope is to be able to agree on a way forward, a series of meetings, and a process.

Russia’s Grushko, in turn, hopes to get answers to a number of points about the comprehensive list of demands made by Russia in December. The list includes demands that NATO stop accepting new members – something categorically rejected by members and non-members of NATO, such as Sweden and Finland.

– We hope for a serious and in-depth discussion. We will push for concrete and meaningful answers point by point in the Russian draft of the agreement, Grushko said on Monday.

Then the calls come The Russian military escalation on the border with Ukraine has created fears of a new Russian invasion of the country. Russia stubbornly claims that it has no such plans – but finds it difficult to persuade.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas Greenfield told reporters in New York on Monday, according to the AP news agency.

A press conference with Jens Stoltenberg will be announced at approximately 13.30 today. The NATO base then heads to Brest, France, for an informal meeting with EU defense ministers.