Putin and Lukashenko discussed the reaction of the United States and NATO to security guarantees

Russian President Vladimir Putin held telephone conversations with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko. The parties discussed the reaction of the United States and NATO to Russian proposals for security guarantees, the Kremlin press service reported on Saturday, February 12.

“President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. Some issues of further development of bilateral cooperation were considered, as well as the situation around the reaction of the United States and NATO to Russian proposals for the development of long-term international legal guarantees of Russia’s security.

The press service noted that during the conversation, the heads of state agreed on further personal contacts.

On the same day, Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron. The main topic of the conversation, which lasted 1 hour and 40 minutes, was the possible ways of implementing the Minsk agreements. Macron told Putin that sincere dialogue is incompatible with escalation. The leaders of the two countries reaffirmed their readiness to continue discussing the conditions for stability and security in Europe.

Also on Saturday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held talks with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and a conversation between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

At the end of December last year, 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. Also, Russia and NATO must pledge not to create conditions that may be regarded by the other side as a threat.