Blinken, Lavrov spoke on responses to Russian proposals

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian
Foreignn Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke by phone on Feb. 1. According to the State
Department readout of the call, Blinken stressed that the U.S. is willing to
engage in bilateral and multilateral negotiations on “mutual security
concerns”. He also emphasized that a further invasion of Ukraine would be met
with “swift and severe consequences”.

The Russian Ministry readout, in contrast, mentioned,
“Opportunities to continue working on security guarantees were discussed in
light of the current proposals under consideration.”

James Hydzik: The two
parties are likely talking past each other in order to keep talking. Neither
side wants to be seen as ending the diplomatic process, yet neither side has
brought forward anything acceptable to the other. This is likely to be the
status quo until after the end of the Olympics in Beijing.