US agrees to start talks in January on security guarantees for Russia: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday that the US agreed to start talks on security guarantees for Russia early next year in Geneva.

Speaking at an annual news conference in Moscow, Putin said that so far, the US reaction to Russia's proposal on security guarantees is positive.

"Our American partners say they are ready to start these negotiations at the very beginning of the next year in Geneva," the president said.

Summarizing Russia's proposal, Putin said: "Without any tricks, we simply raised the question that there should be no more NATO movement to the east."

Asked if Russia would provide a guarantee of non-invasion to Ukraine if the talks on security guarantees start, Putin said: "Our actions will depend on the concrete result of the talks."

Last month, Putin called on NATO to start talks aiming to provide Russia with reliable, legally binding, and long-term security guarantees.

On Dec. 15, Yury Ushakov, the presidential advisor on foreign policy issues, announced that Russia handed the draft of its proposals to the US and NATO, and two days later, the Russian Foreign Ministry published the text of the draft agreements, suggested by Russia.