Moscow says it expects US response on security guarantees by next month

The Kremlin on Friday said that it is expecting the United States to provide a response to its request for security guarantees next month.

“To discuss de-escalation, we expect our opponents in Washington to provide specific answers to our proposals in January,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a Friday conference call, according to The Associated Press.

Last week, the Russian Foreign Ministry gave U.S. officials draft security agreements demanding guarantees that NATO would not extend membership to Ukraine or deploy troops in the area, among other requests.

Tensions between the two countries have continued to mount as Russia’s deployment of troops near the Ukrainian border has sparked fears of a possible invasion. President Biden also warned Russia earlier this month that the country would face “severe consequences” should it move to attack Ukraine.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the U.S. to meet Moscow’s demands “immediately,” AP reported.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Friday said that “Ukraine should be part of security consultations.”

“Euro-Atlantic security is at stake in Ukraine, therefore, Ukraine should be part of security consultations on the matter,” Kuleba said in a Twitter post. “We support the idea of the U.S., the EU, NATO talking to Russia as long as the primary topic is ending the international armed conflict, Russia’s war on Ukraine.

On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia would begin security talks with the U.S. and NATO in January, though he gave no specific dates for when the discussions will take place.