Russia seeks ‘ironclad’ vow that Ukraine kept out of NATO, foreign troops stay out

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko reportedly said that the Kremlin wants an “ironclad” guarantee that Ukraine will be prohibited from joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as the Trump administration works to broker a deal to end the fighting. 

“We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement,” Grushko was quoted by the Russian newspaper Izvestia as saying, according to Reuters. “Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of NATO countries to accept it into the alliance.”

Grushko reportedly made no mention of the 30-day cease-fire proposal, which was accepted by Ukraine with U.S. negotiators in Saudi Arabia last week. Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that any agreement must first meet crucial conditions. 

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U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff told CNN on Sunday that Trump and Putin are expected to speak on the phone this week. Witkoff himself described having a “positive” and “solution-based” meeting with Putin in Moscow last week. 

Grushko reportedly reiterated in the interview with Izvestia that Russia remains strictly opposed to the deployment of European troops to Ukraine, as Britain, France and Australia have signaled being open to sending a NATO “peacekeeping” force to the country.

“It does not matter under what label NATO contingents were to be deployed on Ukrainian territory: be it the European Union, NATO, or in a national capacity,” Grushko said, according to Reuters. “If they appear there, it means that they are deployed in the conflict zone with all the consequences for these contingents as parties to the conflict.”

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“We can talk about unarmed observers, a civilian mission that would monitor the implementation of individual aspects of this agreement, or guarantee mechanisms,” Grushko added, saying a deal ought to be reached first. “In the meantime, it’s just hot air.”

United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a virtual meeting on Saturday with 26 nations potentially willing to be involved in a “peacekeeping force” in Ukraine, The Telegraph reported. 

French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, was quoted as telling several French media outlets on Saturday that the intention is to “deploy a few thousand men per nation, at key points, to carry out training programs” and “show our support over the long term.” 

“If Ukraine asks allied forces to be on its territory, it is not up to Russia to accept or not,” Macron reportedly said. 

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also said he would be willing to send troops. 

Grushko further argued that a solution to the three-year conflict could only be sustained if European allies to Kyiv understand that Ukraine must be barred from NATO membership and foreign military contingents are kept out. 

“Then the security of Ukraine and the entire region in a broader sense will be ensured, since one of the root causes of the conflict will be eliminated,” Grushko said.