Russia Details Security Demands To U.S. And NATO

On Tuesday the 14th I wrote about the serious security demands Russia is making towards the U.S.

Russia fells the need to press the U.S. for new agreements because the current development of NATO sneaking into the Ukraine endangers Russia's core security interests and would otherwise lead to a military confrontation.

On Wednesday the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei A. Ryabkov met with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Karen Donfried in Moscow. Ryabkov presented her two draft treaties that Russia wants to seen implemented. On Friday both drafts were published on the Russian Foreign Ministry website.

The first treaty would be between the U.S. and the Russian Federation while the second one would be between Russia and all NATO member states. The drafts detail and formalize the demands made previously. I had summarized those in the previous post:

The statement includes this list of demands:

• No more NATO expansion towards Russia's borders. Retraction of the 2008 NATO invitation to Ukraine and Georgia.
• Legally binding guarantee that no strike systems which could target Moscow will be deployed in countries next to Russia.
• No NATO or equivalent (UK, U.S., Pl.) 'exercises' near Russian borders.
• NATO ships, planes to keep certain distances from Russian borders.
• Regular military-to-military talks.
• No intermediate-range nukes in Europe.

That the above is not a "pretty please" wishlist has since been emphasized by several Russian authorities: