Russia wants ‘ironclad’ guarantees in Ukraine peace deal
Russia Demands Security Guarantees in Ukraine Peace Deal
Russia says it will only agree to a peace deal with Ukraine if there are strong guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO and will remain neutral. Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko confirmed this in an interview with Russian media, according to Reuters.
US Pushes for a 30-Day Ceasefire
The United States is trying to negotiate a 30-day ceasefire, and Ukraine has already agreed to it.
US envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN that former President Donald Trump plans to discuss the proposal with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week.
After his meeting with Putin in Moscow, Witkoff said the discussions were “positive.”
Russia Rejects NATO’s Presence in Ukraine
In his interview with Izvestia, a Russian news outlet, Grushko did not mention the US ceasefire plan. Instead, he focused on Russia’s main demand—that NATO must never allow Ukraine to join.
“We will demand strong security guarantees in the agreement,” he said.
He also warned against any NATO forces in Ukraine, even if they are under a different name, like EU troops or national deployments.
“If they enter Ukraine, they will become part of the conflict, and there will be consequences,” he added.
Western Countries Consider Peacekeeping Forces
Despite Russia’s warnings, some Western countries are open to sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.
- France and Britain have shown interest in deploying forces.
- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also said his country might consider it.
Grushko responded by saying that only unarmed observers might be acceptable, but only after a peace deal is signed.
“We can talk about unarmed observers, a civilian mission to monitor the agreement, or guarantee mechanisms,” he said. “For now, it’s just talk.”
Macron: Ukraine Should Decide on Peacekeepers
French President Emmanuel Macron believes that Ukraine, not Russia, should decide whether to accept peacekeeping forces.
Russia’s Conditions for Peace
According to Grushko, if NATO and Ukraine’s Western allies want long-term peace, they must accept Russia’s conditions.
🔹 Ukraine must never join NATO
🔹 No foreign military bases or troops in Ukraine
Grushko said these steps would help remove one of the main causes of the conflict and bring stability to the region.
