US and Russia to hold talks in early January, says Putin: Putin Praises U.S. Response to Security Proposals as ‘Positive’

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin praised what he described as a “positive” U.S. response to the Kremlin’s demands for legally binding security guarantees to defuse a stand-off over Ukraine as he railed against NATO’s expansion.

Traditionally, Vladimir Putin's big press conferences are considered summing up the results of the year. The President does not limit journalists in the choice of topics for communication. Questions, as a rule, touch upon a variety of spheres of Russia's domestic and foreign policy, sometimes they also concern the personal life of the head of state.

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, demanding an "immediate" response from the United States and its allies to Moscow's demand for security guarantees.

"This is not our (preferred) choice, we do not want this," Putin said at his annual news conference when asked about the possibility of conflict with Ukraine.

He said Russia had received a generally positive initial response to security proposals it handed to the United States this month and that negotiations would start early next year in Geneva.

"I hope the development of the situation will proceed along that path," he said.

In a separate answer, Putin grew more heated when recalling how NATO had "cheated" Russia with successive waves of expansion since the Cold War, and said Moscow needed an answer urgently.

"You must give us guarantees, and immediately - now."

Russia rejects Ukrainian and U.S. accusations that it may bepreparing an invasion of Ukraine as early as next month by tensof thousands of Russian troops poised within reach of theborder. It says it needs pledges from the West - including a promisenot to conduct NATO military activity in Eastern Europe -because its security is threatened by Ukraine's growing tieswith the Western alliance as well as the possibility of NATO missiles being deployed against it on Ukrainian territory.

“On the whole, we see a positive response,” Putin said at his annual press conference on Thursday. “Our American partners say they’re ready to start discussions early next year in Geneva. Both sides have named representatives and I hope that things will continue along the same path.” 

Putin made no mention of the threat of military action as he did earlier this week but said the Kremlin will do what it needs to ensure Russia’s security. He hit out against the successive waves of North Atlantic Treaty Organization expansion up to Russia’s borders. “Do we put our missiles close to U.S. borders?” he asked. “No! It’s the U.S. which has come to our house with its missiles, they’re on our doorstep already!”

Russia Builds Up Forces Near Ukraine Ahead of U.S. Talks

Putin said opponents have for centuries sought to pressure Russia, undermining the country from within and breaking up her territories. He declined to provide a guarantee that Russia won’t invade Ukraine, instead demanding the West give Russia the security assurances he seeks “now.”

The U.S. has said it’s ready to hold talks starting in January on two draft security treaties that Russia published last week, though it’s called some of the Kremlin’s proposals unacceptable. Russia has demanded that NATO commit not to expand further east and pull out all forces from former Soviet bloc eastern European states that began joining the alliance in 1997.

A massive Russian military build-up near Ukraine has provoked concerns of a potential attack. American intelligence shared with European allies in November showed Russia may be planning an invasion as soon as next month involving as many as 175,000.

"We just directly posed the question that there should be no further NATO movement to the east. The ball is in their court, they should answer us with something," Putin said.