Putin: US to start talks on security guarantees for Russia

Putin calls on NATO to start talks aiming to provide Russia with reliable, legally binding, and long-term security guarantees.

Putin said: "Without any tricks, we simply raised the question that there should be no more NATO movement to the east."
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Putin said: "Without any tricks, we simply raised the question that there should be no more NATO movement to the east."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that the US agreed to start talks on security guarantees for Russia early next year in Geneva.

Speaking at an annual news conference on Thursday in Moscow, Putin said that so far, the US reaction to Russia's proposal on security guarantees is positive.

"Our American partners say they are ready to start these negotiations at the very beginning of the next year in Geneva," the president said.

Summarising Russia's proposal, Putin said: "Without any tricks, we simply raised the question that there should be no more NATO movement to the east."

Asked if Russia would provide a guarantee of non-invasion to Ukraine if the talks on security guarantees start, Putin said: "Our actions will depend on the concrete result of the talks."

READ MORE: Ukraine Crisis: Can US-Russia talks break the impasse?

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Security guarantees

Last month, Putin called on NATO to start talks aiming to provide Russia with reliable, legally binding, and long-term security guarantees.

On December 15, Yury Ushakov, the presidential advisor on foreign policy issues, announced that Russia handed the draft of its proposals to the US and NATO, and two days later, the Russian Foreign Ministry published the text of the draft agreements, suggested by Russia. 

READ MORE: Russia wants 'immediate' talks with West to curb NATO expansion

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