United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken held separate telephone conversations with Icelandic and Czech Foreign Ministers Tordis Kolbrun Gilfadottir and Jan Lipavsky. This was reported in the US State Department on Thursday, January 13.
Thus, in a conversation with Lipavsky, Blinken “expressed the firm commitment of the United States to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression.”
“Blinken briefed the Czech Foreign Minister on US efforts to peacefully resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine,” the State Department website said.
In a statement following the conversation between the Secretary of State and the Icelandic Foreign Minister, it is reported that the interlocutors “discussed several common priority topics, including European security against the backdrop of Russia’s buildup of military presence.”
In addition to the situation around Ukraine, the ministers also discussed economic relations, defense cooperation and the fight against climate change.
On January 12, US State Department spokesman Ned Price declined to comment on a reporter’s question about whether Washington plans to give Moscow a written response to the security guarantee proposals, but expressed hope for the upcoming contacts between the parties to be productive.
On December 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry published draft agreements between Russia, the United States and NATO on security guarantees. It follows from the documents that the alliance must renounce any military activity on the territory of Ukraine and other states of Eastern Europe, Transcaucasia and Central Asia. Russia and NATO also pledge not to create conditions that may be regarded by the other side as a threat.
Source: IZ
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
