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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: US-Ukraine-Russia-Jan 27
HEADLINE: Russia Says It's Ready for More Talks on Ukraine
TEASER: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that in its written response, the US did not address Moscow's primary security concerns
PUBLISHED AT: 1/27/22, 9:30 pm
BYLINE: Cindy Saine
CONTRIBUTOR: Mike Eckel, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
DATELINE:
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER: Bakhtiyar Zamanov
SCRIPT EDITORS: Reifenrath, Holly Franko
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Skype, AP, AFP, Reuters, MRT State
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:49
VID APPROVED BY: Holly Franko
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO))
[[Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says the U.S. has failed to address Moscow's main security concerns over Ukraine in the written document delivered Wednesday, but he left the door open for more talks to ease simmering tensions. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.]]
((NARRATOR))
Russia had a muted reaction to the U.S. written response to its stated security concerns about Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said this:
((Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister)) [in Russian with English voiceover]
"As for the content of the document, there is a response that gives hope for the start of a serious conversation on secondary questions. But, in this document, there was no positive response to the main question."
((NARRATOR))
President Joe Biden had a phone conversation Thursday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Zelenskiy thanked Biden for ongoing military assistance, with Russia massing more than 100,000 troops and heavy military equipment along its border with Ukraine. In an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked whether the U.S. and Kyiv agree about how imminent the threat of a major Russian invasion might be.
((Antony Blinken, Secretary of State)) ((Mandatory credit: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, AND MANDATORY SKYPE COURTESY))
“"President Zelenskiy is right — no one should panic. And no one is. We're looking at the facts. We are acting in a very deliberate way. And we're doing everything we can to make clear to Moscow that it has two paths before it: the path of diplomacy and dialogue to resolve differences peacefully, or the path of aggression, if that's what it chooses, and the massive consequences that will flow from that.”
((NARRATOR))
Russia says it is not planning to invade Ukraine and blames the U.S. for escalating tensions. The U.S. says it is coordinating every step with Ukraine and its NATO allies, preparing painful economic sanctions if Moscow invades, including stopping the controversial Nord Stream 2 oil pipeline, which runs from Russia to Germany.
Victoria Nuland is the U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs.
((Victoria Nuland, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs))
“With regard to Nord Stream 2, we continue to have very strong and clear conversations with our German allies, and I want to be clear with you today: If Russia invades Ukraine, one way or another, Nord Stream 2 will not move forward.”
((NARRATOR))
Earlier, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said her country will join in on tough sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine.
((Annalena Baerbock, German Foreign Minister)) [in German with English voiceover]
“In case of further aggression, the full range of our responses is available, including Nord Stream 2."
((NARRATOR))
With the world watching the Russia-Ukraine border and waiting, the U.S. says the
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