A reporter for British news agency Reuters asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki this morning for a reaction to what he called Russia’s “list of demands,” adding with arrogance, “they’re repeating some of the things that you guys have already rejected, including … restrictions on Ukraine eventually joining NATO, but they say that they’re ready to talk about their list of demands as soon as Saturday. What’s your reaction to that?”
“We have seen the Russian proposals. We’re discussing them with our European allies and partners,” Psaki replied. She sounded a tough note, citing NATO’s statement from yesterday that “any dialogue with Russia would have to proceed on the basis of reciprocity,” etc., and insisted on the not-very-credible line that “we never do anything without our friends.” (Ask the French about that one!) As she put it, “There will be no talks on European security without European allies and partners. We will not compromise the key principles on which European security is built, including that all countries have the right to decide their own future and foreign policy free from outside interference.”
