The Kremlin has said it sees “no significant reason for optimism” about diplomatic solutions for the Ukraine crisis, ahead of a meeting in Brussels between Russia and Nato’s 30 member states. A Russian delegation will hold talks with Nato’s 30 member states on Wednesday, in the first Nato-Russia Council meeting to be held since 2019. The US has firmly rejected the key Russian demands on Nato enlargement and troop withdrawals from eastern European countries that joined the treaty after 1997 as “non-starters”. Julianne Smith, the US ambassador to Nato, said Russia would get the same response from all members of the alliance on Wednesday. Whatever the outcome of this week’s diplomacy, she predicted it would “likely shape Europe’s strategic landscape for many years to come”.

Source: The Guardian January 12, 2022 07:10 UTC