Russia downplays threat to Ukraine in talks with US

BoomRadioNG | January 11, 2022

Russia has told the US that it has no intention of invading Ukraine, after officials from both countries met for high-stakes talks in Geneva.

After a meeting that lasted for seven hours on Monday, both sides agreed to continue efforts to reduce tension.

Around 100,000 Russian troops are believed to be near the border with Ukraine, prompting fears of an incursion and warnings from the West.

Flag map of Ukraine
Дмитрий-5-Аверин, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters following the meeting; “We explained to our colleagues that we have no plans, no intentions to attack Ukraine,”

He said the Russians had told their US counterparts “that all measures for the combat training of troops and forces are carried out within our territory” and that there was “no reason to fear any escalation scenario in this regard”.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman described the talks as “frank and forthright” discussions designed to encourage a better understanding of each side’s security concerns.