Rus proposes "NATO to abandon military activities in Eastern Europe"... Urges US to negotiate

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Russia has presented a security demand centered on the abandonment of NATO's military activities in Eastern Europe, urging the United States to engage in swift negotiations, as tensions between Russia and the West continue to escalate.

Russia has taken a hardline stance, suggesting that if the negotiations are not concluded quickly, it may deploy nuclear weapons not only near the Ukrainian border but also in Belarus. European countries, including Germany, have strongly opposed this, and the United States has stated it cannot accept the proposal unilaterally, raising concerns that military tensions between the two sides will intensify further.

On the 20th (local time), Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov warned at a press conference, "The United States must respond immediately to Russia's security demands," adding, "The longer the U.S. delays, the more difficult and complicated the situation will become."

The security demands emphasized by Deputy Minister Ryabkov were presented to NATO the previous day and call for a complete cessation of NATO's military activities in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. It is known that Russia delivered a draft of these security demands to Karen Donfried, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, on the 15th.

Russia also demands a complete block on NATO membership for Ukraine and other former Soviet states, and that the United States must not build or station military bases in those countries. If Russia's demands are accepted, NATO would be unable to conduct military activities in current member countries such as Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia?the three Baltic states.

According to TASS news agency, the Russian government is negotiating with the Belarusian government regarding the deployment of nuclear weapons near the border. This is interpreted as a warning that if the U.S. and NATO reject the security demands, Russia may deploy nuclear weapons in Europe as during the Cold War era to counterbalance.

NATO's European member states have strongly opposed Russia's demands. On the previous day, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht stated at a press conference held at a German military base stationed in Luka, Lithuania, "Russia has no right to dictate to NATO member countries." Currently, about 550 German troops are stationed in Lithuania as part of NATO forces.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.