US seeks to defuse Ukraine tension with troop and missile proposal to Russia
Deal would see Washington and Moscow agreeing not to use ground-based forces or missiles in Ukraine, newspaper says
02 February 2022 - 16:13
by Agency Staff
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Civilian participants in a Kyiv Territorial Defence unit receive basic combat training on January 22 2022. Picture: SEAN GALLUP/GETTY IMAGES
Madrid — Washington is willing to discuss not deploying ground-launched missiles or combat forces in Ukraine if Russia agrees to do the same, according to confidential documents that the Spanish newspaper El País said were Washington's and Nato’s written replies to Russian security demands.
El País did not say how it obtained the documents.
“The US is willing to discuss conditions-based reciprocal transparency measures and reciprocal commitments by both the US and Russia to refrain from deploying offensive ground-launched missile systems and permanent forces with a combat mission in the territory of Ukraine,” the US document said, according to a copy on the El País website.
The US and its Nato allies are also ready to discuss reciprocal measures to avoid dangerous incidents in the air or at sea, and to reassure Moscow that there are no Tomahawk cruise missiles stationed in Romania and Poland, according to the documents published by the newspaper.
Nato and the Kremlin declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.
The positions set out in the two documents, which were officially handed to Moscow on January 26, are consistent with public statements by Washington and its allies in the past, particularly in terms of offering military transparency.
The Biden administration is willing to discuss a potential way for Russia to verify the type of missiles installed at Nato missile-defence bases in Romania and Poland.
The US has also long said that Nato’s European missile shield in Romania, and a planned site in Poland, won’t serve as a future defence against Russian rockets, but to defend against threats from Iran and the wider Middle East.
In its written reply, the US offered transparency over its Romanian and Polish missile sites if Moscow did the same at two sites in Russia.
In the Nato document, the 30-member alliance said: “The reversal of Russia’s military build-up in and around Ukraine will be essential for substantive progress.”
The West says more than 100,000 Russian troops are positioned on Ukraine’s borders and in Belarus. Russia denies Western accusations tat it’s planning to invade Ukraine.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
US seeks to defuse Ukraine tension with troop and missile proposal to Russia
Deal would see Washington and Moscow agreeing not to use ground-based forces or missiles in Ukraine, newspaper says
Madrid — Washington is willing to discuss not deploying ground-launched missiles or combat forces in Ukraine if Russia agrees to do the same, according to confidential documents that the Spanish newspaper El País said were Washington's and Nato’s written replies to Russian security demands.
El País did not say how it obtained the documents.
“The US is willing to discuss conditions-based reciprocal transparency measures and reciprocal commitments by both the US and Russia to refrain from deploying offensive ground-launched missile systems and permanent forces with a combat mission in the territory of Ukraine,” the US document said, according to a copy on the El País website.
The US and its Nato allies are also ready to discuss reciprocal measures to avoid dangerous incidents in the air or at sea, and to reassure Moscow that there are no Tomahawk cruise missiles stationed in Romania and Poland, according to the documents published by the newspaper.
Nato and the Kremlin declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.
The positions set out in the two documents, which were officially handed to Moscow on January 26, are consistent with public statements by Washington and its allies in the past, particularly in terms of offering military transparency.
The Biden administration is willing to discuss a potential way for Russia to verify the type of missiles installed at Nato missile-defence bases in Romania and Poland.
The US has also long said that Nato’s European missile shield in Romania, and a planned site in Poland, won’t serve as a future defence against Russian rockets, but to defend against threats from Iran and the wider Middle East.
In its written reply, the US offered transparency over its Romanian and Polish missile sites if Moscow did the same at two sites in Russia.
In the Nato document, the 30-member alliance said: “The reversal of Russia’s military build-up in and around Ukraine will be essential for substantive progress.”
The West says more than 100,000 Russian troops are positioned on Ukraine’s borders and in Belarus. Russia denies Western accusations tat it’s planning to invade Ukraine.
Reuters
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