The Russia-US-NATO talks in Geneva and Brussels resulted in Russia’s tactical defeat, proving that Moscow does not intend to launch a large-scale military attack. It effectively uses threats as leverage. Often, unsuccessfully. 

Watch more in our video or read European Pravda editor’s article NATO Says No: The Results and Consequences of the Russia-Alliance Talks. 

This week, Russian diplomats negotiated on alien territory. On Monday, Sergey Ryabkov, Russia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended a meeting with his American counterpart Wendy Sherman inside the U.S. Embassy in Geneva. 

On Wednesday, his colleague Alexander Grushko, another deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, together with representatives of the Ministry of Defense and Russia’s General Staff traveled to NATO headquarters in Brussels to meet Ms. Sherman and NATO member states’ ambassadors.

On Thursday, Russian officials went to the OSCE headquarters in Vienna to voice their demands once again. This time with the participation of Ukraine which, like Russia, is an OSCE member state. 

The last meeting was the most ominous one for Ukraine. First, the Ukrainian diplomats had to face Russia’s demands in person. Second, the OSCE takes decisions unanimously, meaning that no proposals will be adopted nor put on the agenda without Kyiv’s consent.

The outcome of the talks in Geneva and Brussels is clear: Our allies did not betray us. This is not wishful thinking. All parties agree that Russia failed to achieve any of the goals that threaten Ukraine, including Mr. Grushko. He noted that the negotiations resulted in "fundamental irreconcilable differences" as NATO member states bluntly and unanimously rejected the demand to quit its expansion, rendering it impossible to delve into any further detail. Even countries like Germany, which is traditionally skeptical of Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations, supported the common assertion that Russia’s demands are inadmissible and that NATO remains open for member states.

Read more in Mr. Sydorenko’s article NATO Says No: The Results and Consequences of the Russia-Alliance Talks in Ukrainian or in Russian.