Russian and U.S. negotiators will sit down for talks early next year to discuss Moscowxe2x80x99s demand for Western guarantees precluding NATOxe2x80x99s expansion to Ukraine, Russiaxe2x80x99s top diplomat said Wednesday.

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Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia in January will also start separate talks with NATO to discuss the issue, adding that separate negotiations under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will also be held.

Last week, Moscow submitted draft security documents demanding that NATO deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back the alliancexe2x80x99s military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe. Washington and its allies have refused to provide such pledges, but said they are ready for the talks.

Moscow presented the demands amid soaring tensions over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine that has stoked fears of a possible invasion. U.S. President Joe Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin in a conference call earlier this month that Russia will face xe2x80x9csevere consequencesxe2x80x9d if it attacks Ukraine.

Putin has denied having plans to launch an attack but has described NATOxe2x80x99s expansion to Ukraine and weapons deployment of the alliance weapons there as a xe2x80x9cred line.xe2x80x9d

xe2x80x9cWe donxe2x80x99t want a war,xe2x80x9d Lavrov said Wednesday. xe2x80x9cWe donxe2x80x99t want to take the path of confrontation. But we will firmly ensure our security using the means we consider necessary.xe2x80x9d

nnnnnnnnnBiden warns Putin that Russia will pay xe2x80x98a terrible pricexe2x80x99 if it invades Ukrainennn

Speaking in a live interview with Russian RT television, Lavrov hailed Washingtonxe2x80x99s xe2x80x9cbusiness-likexe2x80x9d approach that helped quickly agree on parameters of the future talks.

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He added that Moscow would be ready to consider Washingtonxe2x80x99s demands, but warned that the talks mustnxe2x80x99t drag out indefinitely.

xe2x80x9cI hope that they will take us seriously given the moves we take to ensure our defense capability,xe2x80x9d he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that Washington is working with its European allies to address what he called xe2x80x9cRussian aggressionxe2x80x9d with diplomacy but said Biden opposes the kind of guarantees sought by Putin.

xe2x80x9cThe president has been extremely clear for many, many years about some basic principles that no one is moving back on: the principle that one country does not have the right to change by force the borders of another, that one country does not have the right to dictate the policies of another or to tell that that country with whom they may associate,xe2x80x9d Blinken told reporters in Washington. xe2x80x9cOne country does not have the right to exert a sphere of influence. That notion should be relegated to the dustbin of history.xe2x80x9d

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also hailed reaching a quick agreement on the start of the talks, but noted that they should be xe2x80x9caimed at reaching concrete results and not become drawn out.xe2x80x9d He added that Moscow expects Washington to present a detailed platform for the talks and be ready for a constructive discussion.

xe2x80x9cWe want these talks,xe2x80x9d he said in a conference call with reporters. xe2x80x9cAnd, certainly, the talks are held to discuss each otherxe2x80x99s positions.xe2x80x9d

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