NATO-Russia Council meeting “a defining moment”

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called the
Jan. 12 meeting of the NATO-Russia Council “a defining moment in European
security”, even though no breakthrough was made, NATO announced on Jan. 12. Stoltenberg
stated that the very difficulty of the negotiations made having them necessary.

Negotiations focused on the security situation along
the Ukrainian border as well as Russia’s demands sent to NATO and the U.S. in
December. Stoltenberg told reporters after the four hour-long talks that Russia
had neither accepted nor rejected NATO proposals on broader issues such as
nuclear arms placements in Europe, but would need more time before answering on
the proposals. The two sides remain deadlocked regarding basic issues such as
NATO expansion and Ukraine. NATO and the Russians did agree that further
communication was required.

Negotiations with Russia continue in Vienna on Jan. 13
under the aegis of OSCE.

James Hydzik: Russia had been prepared to meet and receive NATO’s and/or the U.S.’
acceptance of its terms at any place, any time, in December. The fact that the
Russian negotiators meeting NATO in Brussels could neither accept nor reject
the proposals, which were probably known at least in broad outline beforehand,
is an indicator that their emphasis lies in wearing down the allies and finding
divisions among them to exploit instead of detente.