US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday told Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, that Washington is ready to engage in diplomacy with Moscow, including through the NATO-Russia Council and the OSCE.
According to the White House, Sullivan noted that the dialogue must be based on reciprocity and "address our concerns about Russia’s actions".
"Substantive progress can only occur in an environment of de-escalation rather than escalation”, the White House said, describing the Monday conversation between the officials.
The talks between Sullivan and Ushakov come shortly after Moscow offered a handful of security proposals that it seeks to negotiate, among them a promise by NATO to refrain from any military activity in Ukraine or other Eastern European counties.
Earlier on Monday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko underlined that Moscow is taking a tough stance on its security proposals and expects a "substantive dialogue with the United States."
He also warned that Russia would respond proportionately in the event of NATO deploying offensive weapons on the territory of its member countries.