After crisis consultations between Russians and Americans in Geneva and between the Russians and NATO in Brussels, talks took place within the OSCE in Vienna on Thursday.
The OSCE stressed the “urgency” to relaunch the dialogue on security in Europe. “The situation in the region is perilous. It is imperative to find a way through diplomatic channels to stop the escalation and restore trust, transparency and cooperation,” said Secretary General Helga Schmid.
The West accuses Moscow of preparing an attack on its neighbor. Russia argues that the deployment of the army in the border region is merely a response to NATO’s growing and hostile presence in an area that, according to the Russians, falls within their sphere of influence. There are no plans to invade Ukraine, Moscow insists.
The Russians demand that NATO expressly declare that it does not plan any further eastward expansion and that military maneuvers near the Russian border be stopped.