Russia gave a critical initial response to U.S. security proposals aimed at defusing a crisis over Ukraine, saying they failed to address Moscow’s demands to prevent NATO expansion, though the Kremlin indicated talks are likely to continue.
While President Vladimir Putin has read the documents and will take time to study them, “it cannot be said that our views were taken into account, or that a readiness to take our concerns into account was demonstrated,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday.
“It would be silly to expect a response on the next day,” he said, noting that working-level contacts with the U.S. will continue and talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken are expected soon. There “aren’t that many grounds for optimism,” given U.S. public statements rejecting Russia’s key demands, though there’s still room to continue dialogue, Peskov said.
