Kremlin Says Russia's Position on European Troops in Ukraine Is Known

Dmitry Peskov. (Wikimedia Commons/Russian Presidential Press Service)

JAKARTA - The Kremlin spokesman said on Wednesday, Russia's position on the deployment of European troops to Ukraine under a possible future US-mediated peace deal was widely known, but the subject could be discussed.

The New York Times reported that, under the current US proposal, Ukraine would receive security guarantees from the West and that European-led military forces would help Ukraine by operating in Western Ukraine, away from the front lines.

When asked about the report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he did not want to give the media constant comments on the diplomacy.

However, he stressed Russia's position - against such a deployment of troops - was clear.

"Our position on foreign military contingents in Ukrainian territory is well known," Peskov told reporters, quoted by Al Arabiya from Reuters (17/12).

"It's well known, it's really consistent and understandable. But again, this is a subject for discussion," he said.

Further, Peskov said, US special envoy Steve Witkoff is not expected to visit Moscow this week.

Russia itself expects the US to inform Moscow of the results of talks with Ukraine as soon as possible, Peskov said.

Previously, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov in an interview with ABC News confirmed that Moscow would never agree to the deployment of Western troops in Ukraine in any form, including within the framework of NATO.

"We are open-minded about whatever decision may be made. We will definitely never agree to, accept, or even feel satisfied with the presence of NATO forces in Ukrainian territory," said Ryabkov, TASS reported.

When asked further whether Russia would be ready to agree to the deployment of European troops in Ukraine outside the NATO framework, the senior diplomat replied: "No, no, no. A coalition of willing states is the same thing. It may even be worse, because it may be arranged without the usual NATO procedures that are more or less stable."

This followed statements by a number of European leaders saying the bloc was ready to lead a "multinational force" in Ukraine as part of a US proposal for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.