Putin: Russia welcomes negotiations with U.S.

Russia welcomed U.S. willingness to start talks next month on its security proposals, a day after President Vladimir Putin threatened a military response if the Kremlin’s demands aren’t met.

“We would like to hope that for the upcoming negotiations, which is already positive, our partners will come with clearly formulated positions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday.

The U.S. said Tuesday it’s ready to discuss Russia’s European security proposals published last week while also calling parts of them “unacceptable,” amid rising tensions over a buildup of Russian forces on the border with Ukraine.

“These comments came ahead of further troop movements on the border, so yes, my concern is great,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told reporters in Berlin Wednesday. “But that means all the more that you need to move toward dialog with every millimeter of your action.”

The U.S. and its allies have threatened punishing new sanctions on Russia in the event of an invasion, something the Kremlin denies it’s preparing.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said Wednesday dialogue is vital as the European Union lacks the tools to deter Russia.

“At best, we Europeans have some economic deterrents,” he told a press conference, noting the bloc isn’t ready to cut off gas supplies from Russia.

Putin said the security proposals aren’t an ultimatum but threatened to “take adequate militarytechnical response measures” if the West doesn’t accept Russia’s demands to stop the eastward expansion of NATO and deployment of alliance weapons near Russia.