Diplomatic talks between the United States, Europe and Russia over the situation in Ukraine have ended in a “disruptive” manner, said Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We reached an agreement, but in general we can say that we are on completely different paths, and that’s not good, that’s disturbing,” Peskov said on the CNN show. Fareed Zakaria GPS, which airs on Sundays, but a transcript of which has already been released.
Several diplomatic meetings took place last week between envoys from the Russian and US governments. Consultations also took place with European representatives. The Russians demand security guarantees that would be essential to defuse the situation. These include the withdrawal of NATO troops from Eastern Europe and the promise that Ukraine will never be part of the military alliance. NATO refuses to make such a commitment.
The United States is concerned about Russian troops near the border with Ukraine. A raid is feared, which Russia did not foresee. But according to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, Russia is “actively working to create a pretext for a possible raid.” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said if a Russian invasion of Ukraine were to take place, it could begin “between mid-January and mid-February”.
Watch our most viewed news videos in the playlist below:
Free and unlimited access to Showbytes? That can!
Log in or create an account and don’t miss a thing from the stars.
“Devoted bacon guru. Award-winning explorer. Internet junkie. Web lover.”