Russia will demand solid guarantees in any peace agreement regarding Ukraine that NATO countries will exclude Kiev from membership and that Ukraine will remain neutral, said a Russian deputy Foreign Minister.
American President Donald Trump is seeking Vladimir Putin’s support for a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine agreed to last week and about which Putin says must meet some crucial conditions to be acceptable, according to Reuters.
Trump is expected to discuss ways to end the three-year war in Ukraine with Putin this week, said American envoy Steve Witkoff for CNN on Sunday, after returning from what he described as a "positive" meeting with Putin in Moscow.
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In an extensive interview with the Russian publication Izvestia, which made no reference to the ceasefire proposal, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko stated that any long-term peace treaty regarding Ukraine must meet Moscow's requirements.
"We will demand solid security guarantees. Part of these guarantees should be Ukraine's neutral status, the refusal of NATO countries to accept it into the alliance," said Grushko, as cited by Izvestia.
Moscow is categorically against the deployment of NATO observers in Ukraine, Grushko reiterated the Kremlin's position.
The UK and France have stated that they are willing to send a peacekeeping force to monitor any ceasefire in Ukraine. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that his country is also open to requests.
"It doesn't matter under what label the NATO contingents would be deployed on Ukrainian territory: whether it's the European Union, NATO, or in a national capacity," Grushko said. "If they appear there, it means they are deployed in the conflict zone, with all the consequences for these contingents as parties to the conflict."
Grushko stated that the deployment of unarmed post-conflict observers can only be discussed after the elaboration of a peace agreement.
"We can talk about unarmed observers, a civilian mission that would monitor the implementation of individual aspects of this agreement or guarantee mechanisms," said Grushko.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the stationing of peacekeeping troops in Ukraine is a matter that Kiev, not Moscow, should decide.
Grushko said that Kiev's European allies should understand that only excluding Ukraine's NATO membership and eliminating the possibility of foreign military contingents being deployed on its territory will work for the region.
"Then the security of Ukraine and the entire region in a broader sense will be ensured, as one of the root causes of the conflict will be eliminated," said Grushko.