U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to de-escalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Thursday, President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin, held a telephone conversation, based on Moscow’s request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia had recently amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally-binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. “During the talks we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russia’s security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders,” Maria Zakharova, Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson, told a briefing on Thursday. …
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