As U.S. and Russia Prepare to Talk, Blinken Pushes Back on Kremlin Demand

Mr. Blinken said the United States did not make any formal proposals last week but merely “talked about areas” for reciprocal cooperation, including arms control and the conduct of military exercises in Europe.

He said it was unclear whether Russia was prepared to negotiate in good faith on those fronts, or at all.

Speaking at a forum in Moscow on Wednesday, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei A. Ryabkov, repeated his government’s previous denial that Moscow has any plans to move its forces into Ukraine.

“We will not attack, strike, invade, quote unquote, whatever, Ukraine,” Mr. Ryabkov said. He said the Russian troops near Ukraine’s border were conducting training exercises.

Russia has positioned around 100,000 troops along its western border with Ukraine, although precise estimates vary. On Tuesday, the White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, said that Russia “could at any point launch an attack in Ukraine.”

After meeting with Mr. Blinken in the morning, Mr. Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, appeared to flaunt Mr. Putin’s warnings that Ukraine must not be allowed to join NATO. During brief remarks alongside Mr. Blinken, Mr. Zelensky said that American military support for his country affirms “our strategic plans for Ukraine’s accession to the alliance.”

In 2008, NATO declared in a statement that Ukraine would someday join the 30-member security pact, infuriating Mr. Putin. Western officials say that it would be impractical for Ukraine to become a member in the foreseeable future but that they will not adjust their position in response to Russian threats.