Russia says it needs a quick U.S. response to its proposed security guarantees. According to Russia, these proposals should prevent military escalation after the heightened tensions in Europe.

The West fears a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia denies plans for such action, but the United States and its allies are not convinced. The Russians released a package of demands late last week that would be essential for de-escalating the situation. Among other things, they want NATO to stop military activities in Eastern Europe and Ukraine.

The Russians want to start negotiations with the Americans quickly. The U.S. wants to enter into the conversation, but an official response is not expected until sometime this week. U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. is already prepared for the talks. He also said the Americans would raise their concerns about Russian activities. Another official said some of Russia’s demands were “unacceptable”.

The increased tensions result from the Russian troop build-up on the border with Ukraine. In the east of that country, a war has been raging since 2014 between pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian army. The U.S. and other countries have warned Russia of heavy sanctions should the conflict spiral out of control due to Russian military intervention.