Members of the US Senate NATO Observer Group have urged US President Joe Biden to convey support for the 'security and freedom' for the Eastern European allies to Russian President Vladimir Putin at the NATO-Russia Council meeting scheduled this week.
The senators expressed their 'robust bipartisan support' for the Eastern European states, including Georgia, in the face of Russian aggression.
The United States and its allies and partners are committed to the principle of 'no decisions or discussions about Ukraine without Ukraine,' which should also be applied to Georgia, they wrote.
The senators noted that Russia does not have veto power on NATO enlargement, and the Alliance should consider an 'increased military presence' in the east, including the Black Sea region, to deter Russian aggression.
We support close engagement with our allies to ensure a coordinated and unambiguous response to Putin’s brinkmanship and ask that the administration and its allies continue to unequivocally rebuke Putin’s military threats and provocations against our allies, they added.
As co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group, glad to join @marcorubio & others urging POTUS to use the NATO-Russia Council meeting to reaffirm punitive repercussions for Putin if he further invades Ukraine & make clear that NATO decides NATO membership — not Putin. pic.twitter.com/17IWrlaewx
— Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (@SenatorShaheen) January 11, 2022
The Russian Foreign Ministry put forward two proposals on ‘security guarantees’ between Russia, the US and NATO on December 17, which include restrictions on troop, ship, and aircraft deployments for both NATO and Russia, as well limits to the deployment of intermediate and short-range missiles abroad.
On December 10, Russia released a statement demanding NATO member states rescind the 2008 Bucharest Summit declaration supporting Georgia and Ukraine's goal of becoming members of the alliance.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg turned down Russia's demands, saying that they violate 'core principles for European security.'