Lavrov called the United States a “coachman on that wagon” because of long answers

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the United States “a coachman on that wagon” because of the long responses to Russia’s proposals for security guarantees. The minister announced this on Friday, January 14, at a press conference.

“Our patience has run out. We are very patient. You know what we harness for a long time, right? We harnessed for a very long time, and now it’s time for us to go. We are waiting for a response to our specific proposals,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov also said that the US and NATO want to “wind up” the process of security guarantees. Russia is waiting for written answers and is ready for any development of events. According to him, “all the illusions that the Russian side could have had regarding the policy of the West have completely melted away.” The minister added that the situation is not improving, and the conflict potential is only accumulating. In the development of such events, Lavrov noted the involvement of the West.

Negotiations on security guarantees took place in three stages. On January 10, a meeting of the Russian and US delegations took place in Geneva. On January 12, a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council was held in Brussels, and on January 13, consultations ended at the Vienna site of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

After the talks, on January 10, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov noted that the conversation was “difficult, long, very professional, deep, specific.”

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. Also, Russia and NATO must pledge not to create conditions that may be regarded by the other side as a threat.