When U.S. and Russia negotiators meet next week for diplomatic talks, the Biden Administration says it is willing to discuss the scope of European military exercises and the deployment of missiles on the continent, but not reducing the more than 70,000 American troops stationed there.
“Russia says its security is threatened by U.S., and NATO exercises as well,” a senior administration official told reporters on Saturday on the condition of anonymity. “So we’re willing to explore the possibility of reciprocal restrictions on the size and scope of such exercises, including both strategic bombers close to each other’s territory, and ground-based exercises.”
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The comments came ahead of U.S.-Russia’s diplomatic talks beginning Sunday night that aim to deescalate tensions in eastern Europe. Nearly 100,000 Russian troops have massed on the nation’s border with Ukraine, stoking fears of a possible invasion. Analysts say the deployment could be the largest Russian troop build-up in Europe since the Cold War, which President Vladimir Putin has tried to use as leverage against U.S. to reduce troops, weapons and influence along his borders.
Putin invaded Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014. Communication between the U.S. and Russia—nations commanding the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals—has been limited ever since. Talks were further curtailed when American intelligence agencies uncovered that the Kremlin engaged in a multi-pronged campaign to meddle in 2016 U.S. presidential elections.
The upcoming talks present the best opportunity in years in which the U.S. and European allies could begin to forge diplomatic agreements with Russia on a range of issues. On Monday, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will lead the U.S. delegation and meet in Geneva with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov who heads the Russian effort. The next day, Sherman will brief NATO allies in Brussels and on Wednesday she’ll lead the U.S….
Source : time
