December 29, 2021–Amid rising tensions between the West and Russia, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet by phone on Thursday.
The talks come as military tensions rise between Russia and the West over Ukraine. The phone conversation comes ahead of diplomatic meetings scheduled in January in Geneva between Russia and the United States.
“By and large we are seeing positive traction at this point,” Putin said of the discussions during his Dec. 23 annual press conference. He said the topic of Ukraine is “a formidable issue” concerning Russia’s security. He added that conflict “is not our choice.”
Relations between Russia and the West grew worse over the past year. In October Russia severed ties with the NATO alliance, complaining that the alliance blocked its participation in meetings. But since earlier this month, diplomats from both sides have been engaging in talks to alleviate geopolitical tensions.
Ukraine: Between East and West
Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but it is a close partner of the Western alliance. Russia is seeking security commitments against further NATO expansion and deployment of weapons near its border, according to a December 28 statement by its Foreign Ministry. Further complicating the situation is that Putin considers parts of Ukraine to be historically part of Russia. Moreover, Ukraine includes a Russian-speaking minority group.
Biden, meanwhile, is likely to address Russia’s recent military buildup near Ukraine. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said on Tuesday the U.S. position is consistent and clear.
“We have sought to unite the alliance between two tracks: deterrence, and diplomacy. We are unified as a NATO Alliance on the consequences Russia would face if it moves on Ukraine, but we’re also unified in our willingness to engage in principled diplomacy with Russia,” a State Department spokesperson said.
NATO and the OSCE
According to U.S. National Security Council Spokesperson Emily Horne, U.S. diplomats are engaging with NATO, European partners, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to put forward a common approach to Russia’s build-up of its military along the Russia-Ukraine border.
The 57-member OSCE is actively monitoring activities in Ukraine, reporting on the situation on the ground. Also, NATO’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is planning to hold dialogue with Russia in early 2022.
“We have made clear that any further aggression against Ukraine would carry a very high price,” Stoltenberg said December 21. “We will also continue to support our close partner Ukraine, politically and practically.”
Other issues likely to arise include the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would run under the Baltic if Germany approves it.
Upcoming talks include:
- The Strategic Stability Dialogue on January 10th,
- A Russia-NATO dialogue, and
- A meeting bbetween Russia and the OSCE on January 12.
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