Russia plans security talks with US before Nato meeting

Bloomberg

Russia will start talks first with the US on its demands for guarantees of an end to Nato’s eastward expansion before a proposed January 12 meeting between the military alliance and Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
“We will hold the main round of negotiations with the US which will take place immediately after the end of the New Year holidays,” Lavrov said in a YouTube interview Monday with the Soloviev Live channel.
Russia begins the year with a public holiday and January 10 is the first working day. Russia’s top diplomat said his country isn’t presenting the US with any “ultimatums,” but also won’t accept “endless” talks on its demands for legally binding pledges that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will halt further expansion and withdraw forces to the positions they held in 1997.
President Vladimir Putin last week in his annual press conference praised what he described as a “positive” US response to the Russian proposals. On Sunday, he said he would act on recommendations of his military experts in considering responses if the talks with the US and Nato fail.
The US has warned European allies that a massive Russian military build-up near Ukraine since November may be preparations for an invasion as early as next month. Russia denies plans for a military operation but has warned Nato against crossing “red lines” by stationing offensive weapons in Ukraine.
It also accuses the government in Kyiv of preparing an offensive to recapture territory in eastern Ukraine held by Russian-backed separatists. Ukraine rejects that claim.
Russia’s Defense Ministry announced December 25 that more than 10,000 troops would return to their permanent bases in the Southern Military District following more than a month of training, including in areas near Ukraine.