US, NATO ready for new talks with Russia – U.S. Department of State

The United States and NATO are ready to meet again with Russia within the framework of a diplomatic dialogue on the de-escalation of tensions around Ukraine.

"Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss next steps following the January 12 NATO-Russia Council. The United States and NATO are ready to meet again with Russia and are committed to pursuing continued diplomacy and reciprocal dialogue," the U.S. Department of State informs.

As noted, the United States and its NATO Allies are united on the diplomatic path forward and urge Russia to take immediate action to deescalate its ongoing aggression against Ukraine.

As reported, Russia demanded that the North Atlantic Alliance, in particular, must deprive Ukraine and Georgia of their NATO membership prospects, officially announced at the Bucharest Summit in 2008. Instead, after recent talks with the Russians this week, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO would not abandon its open door policy for other nations.

Numerous diplomatic events have taken place in Europe this week to discuss European security and reduce tensions over Ukraine as a result of the build-up of Russian troops near Ukraine's borders and its temporarily occupied territories. However, negotiations between Western countries and Russia ended as expected without change.