Russia has published proposals for a "security guarantee" it wants from the West

On Friday, the Russian MFA published proposals on the so-called security guarantees that Moscow demands from the West. It is a project "of a treatise between the Russian Federation and the United States on security guarantees" and a draft agreement of Russia-NATO.

The draft treaty with the US contains 8 points. Article 4 is estimated to be crucial for Moscow: "The United States of America undertakes to exclude further expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to the east and to refuse to join the Alliance of States formerly members of the Soviet Socialist Republics".

At the same point, it was added that the US "will not create military bases on the territory of the states" previously owned by the USSR and not members of NATO, nor will they "use their infrastructure to carry out any military activity" or even "to develop military cooperation" with these countries. It is estimated, for example, that the Ukraine and Georgia already cooperate with NATO.

"The Parties abstain from deploying their military forces and weapons, including as part of international organisations and alliances or military coalitions, in areas where such deployment (force) would be perceived by the other parties as a threat to its national security, with the exception of deployment (force) within its own territory," points 5.

Russia also proposes that the parties abandon some kind of military venture "in areas outside their airspace or territorial waters, from where it would be possible to strike targets in the territory of the other party". For example, bomber flights or cruises of all kinds of warships, including conducted "within alliances, coalitions and organizations".

Another Russian proposal says "a commitment not to deploy medium- and short-range rockets based on land outside its own territory, as well as in those areas of its territory, from where such weapons could damage targets in the territory of the other side".

Russia also proposes to limit nuclear deployment. "The Parties exclude the deployment of nuclear weapons outside their own territory and withdraw such weapons already deployed outside their own territory," says Article 7 of the published text.

Other commitments include, for example, refraining from "using the territory of foreign countries to prepare or carry out an armed attack against the other side" and refraining from "other activities that concern the essential security interests of the other side" of the Treaty.

Article 1 states that, in general, the parties "do not take action and do not undertake undertakings that concern the security of the other party, do not participate and do not support them."

According to the Russian newspaper "Kommersant", "it is clear that the West will not agree with the main ones" published by the Russian project.

In a similar tone, the draft agreement with NATO is maintained. The prospect of expanding the North Atlantic Alliance concerns Articles 6 and 7 "Participants, which are Member States of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, undertake to exclude NATO enlargement, including the annexation of Ukraine and other countries," says Article 6.

In the following article, Russia proposes that NATO Member States undertake to "resign any military activity in Ukraine, as well as other Eastern European countries, the Caucasus and Central Asia."

The draft agreement with NATO also states that both parties "are committed not to create conditions or situations that could pose a threat – or be assessed as a threat – to the national security of other participants" of the agreement.

Written by Anna Wróbel/PAP