Nato has sent a letter today to Moscow in response to Russia’s list of security demands, the Western alliance has confirmed.
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have heightened ahead of what the West says is a potential takeover of more parts of Ukraine.
Russian president Vladimir Putin and his government have insisted they have no such plans, despite reports of tens of thousands of Russian troops deployed to the border with Ukraine.
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels: “We call on Russia once again to immediately de-escalate the situation.
“Nato firmly believes that tensions and disagreements must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.”
He repeated his call for Moscow and Nato to reestablish their respective offices in Brussels and Moscow, and to make full use of military channels of communication to promote transparency and reduce risks.
John Sullivan, US ambassador in Moscow, hand-delivered two documents this evening – Washington and Nato’s responses to eight demands that Russia made last month – as reported by the Kommersant newspaper.
Some of the demands were for the US to commit to preventing Nato expanding to the east, and to remove its nuclear weapons from Europe.
