New York [US], December 31 (ANI/Sputnik): The United Nations welcomes the dialogue between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US leader Joe Biden on security and strategic issues, UN associate spokesperson Florencia Soto Nino told Sputnik. On Thursday, the two presidents held a telephone call to discuss escalating tensions over Ukraine and the upcoming talks on the issue. “We always welcome dialogue between the Member States,” Soto Nino said when asked about the phone call.
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have increased in the past several weeks amid an alleged Russian troop buildup at the Ukrainian border and claims of preparations for an invasion. Moscow has repeatedly denied the accusations, saying that Russia has the right to relocate the troops within its territory at its own discretion, while NATO’s military activity near Russian borders poses a threat to its security.
On December 17, Russia released proposals on security guarantees to NATO and the United States that seek to prevent the alliance’s further expansion eastward and ban the deployment of US and Russian intermediate and short-range missiles within reach of each other’s territory, among other items.
Negotiations on security guarantees between Moscow and Washington are scheduled for January 10, followed by a Russia-NATO Council meeting to discuss the issue on January 12, and the summit of Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe the following day. (ANI/Sputnik)
Russia in contact with US over normalizing visas: Russian Foreign Minister
Moscow [Russia], December 31 (ANI/Sputnik): Russia is permanently raising the problem of normalizing issuing visas during the contacts with the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Sputnik.
“During the contacts with the United States at various levels, we are permanently speaking about the need to normalize the process of issuing visas,” the minister said.
“However, amid the degradation of the bilateral relations, Washington is unlikely to soften the visa policy,” Lavrov added. (ANI/Sputnik)
