Leaked docs suggest the U.S. might throw Russia a bone. Will it be enough to avert war?


The U.S. could be willing to offer Russia a transparency agreement to guarantee that cruise missiles will not be stationed at NATO bases in Eastern Europe, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.
According to El País, a Spanish newspaper that reportedly obtained leaked documents containing U.S. and NATO responses to Russian demands, the Biden administration is willing to offer Russian President Vladimir Putin "a 'transparency mechanism.'" This would "verify the absence of Tomahawk cruise missiles, which are capable of reaching Russian territory, at the NATO anti-missile shield bases in Romania and Bulgaria."
Putin has repeatedly expressed concerns about the possibility of NATO missiles in Eastern Europe that could strike Moscow within minutes. But his demands go much further.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In the pair of draft treaties to which the leaked documents were responding, Russia insisted that Ukraine be barred from membership in NATO and that the alliance pull its troops out of Eastern Europe.
The transparency agreement proposed by the Biden administration is a far cry from Putin's demand for a total pullout, and guaranteeing Ukraine won't join NATO appears to be a non-starter for both the U.S. and the alliance.
According to AP, the leaked NATO document included a reaffirmation of the 30 member nations' "commitment to NATO's Open Door policy."
Meanwhile, CNN reported Wednesday, Russia continues to move troops into position on the Ukrainian border. New satellite imagery shows evidence of troop buildups at several bases, new Russian deployments in Belarus, and live-fire artillery drills.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The New York Times reports that around 130,000 Russian troops are massed on Ukraine's border.
President Biden has ordered 3,000 American troops to move into position to "bolster the defense of European allies," The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. Some 2,000 troops from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, are being sent to Poland and Germany, while around 1,000 troops stationed in Germany are heading to Romania.
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Third judge rejects DOJ's Epstein records request
Speed Read Judge Richard Berman was the third and final federal judge to reject DOJ petitions to unseal Epstein-related grand jury material
-
'It's our financialized economy in miniature'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Texas OKs gerrymander sought by Trump
Speed Read The House approved a new congressional map aimed at flipping Democratic-held seats to Republican control
-
What will security guarantees for Ukraine look like?
Today's Big Question From boots on the ground to economic sanctions, here are the measures that might stop Russia taking another bite out of Ukraine
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest war
Speed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'
-
Russia tries Ukraine land grab before Trump summit
Speed Read The incursion may be part of Putin's efforts to boost his bargaining position
-
US, China extend trade war truce for 90 days
Speed Read The triple-digit tariff threat is postponed for another three months
-
Europe counters Putin ahead of Trump summit
Speed Read President Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this week for Ukraine peace talks
-
Israeli security cabinet OKs Gaza City takeover
Speed Read Netanyahu approved a proposal for Israeli Defense Forces to take over the largest population center in the Gaza Strip
-
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: flirting with authoritarianism?
Talking Point Ukraine's president is facing first major domestic unrest since the Russian invasion, over plans to water down the country's anti-corruption agencies
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish