The State Department on Wednesday validated the authenticity of documents leaked to the press that revealed Washington’s response to Russian demands in exchange for de-escalating tensions with Ukraine.
"I have seen nothing to suggest these documents are not authentic," State Department press secretary Ned Price told reporters. "We did not make these documents public but now that they are we can confirm what we’ve always said – we are untied with our NATO allies in our resolve to engage in an open, constructive, serious set of diplomatic engagements."
The written responses by the U.S. and NATO were first obtained by El Pais after being submitted to the Russian Federation last week.
The State Department had remained mum on negotiations it laid out in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands which included a blanket ban on Ukraine’s ability to join the 30-member alliance and the placement of strategic strike weapons.
The U.S. and NATO once again flatly rejected the Kremlin’s calls for an admission ban on the former Soviet nation but said it would be willing to negotiate troop and missile deployment.
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