Muristek
Washington, January 27
The United States is "ready either way" in handling the escalating Ukraine crisis, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Moscow on Wednesday as the Biden administration's top envoy delivered a letter to the Russian Government in this regard.
"All told, it sets out a serious diplomatic path forward, should Russia choose it," Blinken told reporters at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department soon after US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan delivered the documents to the Russian Government in Moscow.
"The document we have delivered includes concerns of the United States and our allies and partners about Russia's actions that undermine security, a principled and pragmatic evaluation of the concerns that Russia has raised, and our own proposals for areas where we may be able to find common ground," he said.
"We make clear that there are core principles that we are committed to uphold and defend, including Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and the right of states to choose their own security arrangements and alliances. We have addressed the possibility of reciprocal transparency measures regarding force posture in Ukraine, as well as measures to increase confidence regarding military exercises and manoeuvres in Europe," Blinken said. The US, he said, is open to dialogue. — PTI
Want all sides to remain calm: China
China has told the US it wants to see all sides involved in Ukraine remain calm and avoid increasing tension. The US also stressed de-escalation and warned of the security and economic risks from Russian aggression. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke about Ukraine on a telephone call late on Wednesday. Reuters
Macron seeks talks with Russia
Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday over the Ukraine crisis. Macron's presidential palace hosted marathon talks on Wednesday between Russian and Ukrainian advisers. AP
Must cooperate
We are prepared to move forward where there is a possibility of communication and cooperation. We prefer diplomacy. — Antony Blinken, US secretary of state