With Russian troops at Ukraine's border, talks to avert a conflict end deadlocked

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With Russian troops at Ukraine's border, talks to avert¹ a conflict end deadlocked²

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The U.S., Russia and European powers have tussled over the post-Cold War era in a series of talks that ended with no resolution to the standoff over Ukraine — which Russia is threatening to invade.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

After three frustrating⁴ days of talks between NATO and Russia over Ukraine, White House National Security Adviser⁵ Jake Sullivan said this is the U.S. conclusion.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JAKE SULLIVAN: Russia is laying the groundwork to have the option of fabricating a pretext⁶ for an invasion, including through sabotage⁷ activities and information operations, by accusing Ukraine of preparing an imminent⁸ attack against Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.

MARTIN: NPR's diplomatic correspondent Michele Kelemen and NPR's Moscow correspondent Charles Maynes have been following this week's diplomatic efforts, and they both join me now. Good morning.

CHARLES MAYNES, BYLINE⁹: Good morning.

MICHELE KELEMEN, BYLINE: Good morning, Rachel.

MARTIN: Michele, let me start with you. We know that Russia has some 100,000 troops on its border with Ukraine. That's what has prompted these urgent talks this week in the first place. What more are U.S. officials saying about this situation that becomes increasingly volatile¹⁰? I mean, you heard what Jake Sullivan just said.

KELEMEN: Right. Well, Sullivan said it's not clear that Russians - that the Russians have decided¹¹ on a military course of action. But, you know, U.S. officials like Secretary of State Antony Blinken have been saying that no one should be surprised if Russia instigates¹² some sort of incident in order to justify¹³ an invasion. It's part of Russia's playbook, they say. Now it seems the U.S. has some sort of specific information about that, and a congressional delegation¹⁴ is heading to Ukraine next week to share the latest U.S. intelligence assessment¹⁵. And what's interesting, Rachel, is that, you know, U.S. officials are talking about all of this now at the end of a very long week of diplomacy¹⁶. You had U.S.-Russia talks, NATO-Russia talks, a big meeting of the 57-nation Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. And at the end of all of this, the U.S. is still worried about a potential provocation¹⁷, and there are really no signs of easing tensions.

MARTIN: So what was it all for?

KELEMEN: Yeah.

MARTIN: So, Charles, have the Russians reacted to this statement from the White House national security adviser?

MAYNES: No, not specifically. But, of course, Russia has been saying that Ukraine, emboldened¹⁸ by support from NATO, is planning to retake by force these separatist territories that Russia has backed both politically and militarily in Ukraine's east, in the Donbas. Now, Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has at least publicly said he wants more diplomacy, although it's true Ukraine has reinforced its troops in response to the recent Russian buildup. And Ukraine's government has accused Russia of trying to provoke this wider response amid a recent uptick in fighting there. But, you know, curiously¹⁹, this morning, Ukrainian officials said a cyberattack took out key government websites like the foreign ministry²⁰. They're all offline now. And let's not forget, aside from this proxy²¹ war in the east of Ukraine, Russia also annexed²² Crimea in 2014. So, you know, Russia certainly has shown it's willing to take territory from Ukraine by force.

MARTIN: Let's talk about Russia has - what Russia has said it wants anyway, right? I mean, they have said the sticking points are they don't want Ukraine to be allowed to join NATO, and they want NATO to cut back military assets around Eastern Europe. Are either of those things likely to happen, Michele?

KELEMEN: Not on NATO membership. I mean, the alliance is keeping open its - wants to keep open the open-door policy, even if most experts agree that NATO - that Ukraine's membership in NATO is really unlikely anytime soon. But Secretary Blinken has said that there could be areas of negotiation²³ on things like military exercises, missile deployments, but that it has to be reciprocal, and these things take time. Here's how he summed up the week of diplomacy in an interview with NPR's All Things Considered.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)

ANTONY BLINKEN: They put down maximalist and non-starter demands in some cases. There are other issues that they put on the table that could be the basis for, you know, meaningful conversation and diplomacy. We've certainly put our concerns on the table. And now we're going to see if they're - if they really are serious about diplomacy and dialogue or whether this has been just a faint all along and their intention is otherwise.

KELEMEN: And Blinken says that the U.S. and its partners are ready with what he called massive sanctions if Russia chooses aggression²⁴ over that path of diplomacy.

MARTIN: So, Charles, tell us more about the Russian position here. I mean, do they have any incentive²⁵ to back down or at least draw down some troops from the Ukrainian border?

MAYNES: Yeah. Well, this morning, Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, gave his annual year-end press conference - it's annual year-end because it's the Orthodox new year today. And he called the idea that Russia would pull back troops from its own territory absurd. He also reiterated²⁶ Russia's demands for an end to NATO expansion. That wasn't a surprise. But he mocked also the idea that the U.S. had to consult with allies as a blatant²⁷ stalling tactic²⁸.

(SOUNDBITE OF PRESS CONFERENCE)

SERGEY LAVROV: (Speaking Russian).

MAYNES: So here, Lavrov's saying that Russia wants and expects a response to its proposals from the U.S. in written form and that Russia had made the U.S. understand Moscow wouldn't wait forever for answers. You know, but Russia's top negotiator this week - this is Lavrov's deputy, Sergei Ryabkov - he essentially²⁹ nixed the idea that there was any negotiating to do. He argued Russia has been making concessions³⁰ to the U.S. and NATO ever since the Cold War ended - the last 30 years, essentially - and now it was time for the other side to bend.

MARTIN: I mean, you can't get in his head, right? Nobody can. But is there any more clarity from external signals about Putin's intentions with all this?

MAYNES: In a word, no. Lavrov today said that once Russia had these answers from the U.S., they'll provide them to Putin. And if the answer is no, he said Putin would field options from his military advisers³¹ and choose a course of action, which doesn't tell us a lot.

MARTIN: And, Michele, finally, I mean, at least are the U.S. and NATO allies - do they emerge this week more or less united on how they would respond to Russian aggression?

KELEMEN: Well, certainly rhetorically they all seem united and - but Blinken is not saying what specific sanctions are ready to go. So we'll see if all this talk of unity³² is enough to deter³³ Russia from taking further provocative³⁴ steps or whether this unity stands if Russia re-invades.

MARTIN: NPR's Michele Kelemen and NPR's Charles Maynes, thanks to you both.

MAYNES: Thank you.

KELEMEN: Thank you.

1 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

2 deadlocked   

陷入僵局的；僵持不下的

参考例句：

• The plan deadlocked over the funds. 这个计划由于经费问题而搁浅了。
• The meeting deadlocked over the wage issue. 会议因工资问题而停顿下来。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

6 pretext   

n.借口，托词

参考例句：

• He used his headache as a pretext for not going to school.他借口头疼而不去上学。
• He didn't attend that meeting under the pretext of sickness.他以生病为借口，没参加那个会议。

7 sabotage   

n.怠工，破坏活动，破坏；v.从事破坏活动，妨害，破坏

参考例句：

• They tried to sabotage my birthday party.他们企图破坏我的生日晚会。
• The fire at the factory was caused by sabotage.那家工厂的火灾是有人蓄意破坏引起的。

8 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

9 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

10 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

11 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

12 instigates   

n.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的名词复数 )v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He always instigates the boy to do evil. 他总是鼓动那孩子做坏事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Instigates a collective leave-taking movement which affects the normal operation of the Company. 煽惑或鼓动集体休假而影响本公司正常运作者。 来自互联网

13 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

14 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

15 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

16 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

17 provocation   

n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因

参考例句：

• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。
• They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。

18 emboldened   

v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine, he went over to introduce himself to her. 他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• His success emboldened him to expand his business. 他有了成就因而激发他进一步扩展业务。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

20 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

21 proxy   

n.代理权，代表权；（对代理人的）委托书；代理人

参考例句：

• You may appoint a proxy to vote for you.你可以委托他人代你投票。
• We enclose a form of proxy for use at the Annual General Meeting.我们附上委任年度大会代表的表格。

22 annexed   

[法] 附加的，附属的

参考例句：

• Germany annexed Austria in 1938. 1938年德国吞并了奥地利。
• The outlying villages were formally annexed by the town last year. 那些偏远的村庄于去年正式被并入该镇。

23 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

24 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

25 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

26 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

27 blatant   

adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的

参考例句：

• I cannot believe that so blatant a comedy can hoodwink anybody.我无法相信这么显眼的一出喜剧能够欺骗谁。
• His treatment of his secretary was a blatant example of managerial arrogance.他管理的傲慢作风在他对待秘书的态度上表露无遗。

28 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。

29 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

30 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

31 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

32 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

33 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

34 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。