Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (R) attend bilateral talks on soaring tensions over Ukraine in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday. Photo by Martial Trezzini/EPA-EFE
Jan. 21 (UPI) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov both said Friday they did not expect a breakthrough during their talks in Geneva but agreed they wanted discussions to happen and continue.
With tens of thousands of Russian troops gathering along the border with Ukraine, the United States and its Western allies fear Russia is preparing for an invasion of the country, something Russian leaders have repeatedly denied.
Russia has demanded a guarantee that Ukraine never join NATO, something Blinken and allies have called a “non-starter” in negotiations. Blinken said it will be up to Ukraine to determine the future of its defense.
“We do not expect a breakthrough at these negotiations either,” Lavrov said before talks started, according to The New York Times. “What we expect are concrete answers to our concrete proposals.”
Blinken agreed, adding that he hopes to find some topics that would allow both sides to gain some sense of progress.
“You’re right, we don’t expect to resolve our differences here today,” Blinken said. “But I do hope and expect that we can test whether the path of diplomacy and dialogue remains open.”
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden sparked controversy among allies by suggesting there could be disagreement among NATO and Ukraine on how to respond to a “minor incursion” by Russia.
“It’s one thing if it’s a minor incursion and we end up having to fight about what to do and not do. But if they actually do what they’re capable of doing with the forces amassed on the border, it is going to be a disaster for Russia if they further invade Ukraine,” Biden had said during a news conference, according to CNN.
The Biden administration walked backed the comments later, saying it would consider any Russian incursion as major and would prompt a strong response.