Russia Affirms Security And Ukraine Guarantee Not Joining NATO Before Peace Agreement

Russian military vehicles on the Ukrainian battlefield. (Source: TASS/Alexander Reka)

JAKARTA - Russia will insist on providing security guarantees and Ukraine's neutral status, not joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), before signing a peace agreement, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said.

"If we talk about a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, then it will definitely have an external contour," Grushko said in an interview with Russia's Daily Izvestia.

"We will insist concrete security guarantees must be part of this agreement," he continued.

"That is because only through its formation will it be possible to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine and in general strengthen security in the region," said Deputy Foreign Minister Grushko.

"Ukraine's neutral status and the refusal of NATO member states to accept the country as a member of the alliance must be part of the guarantee," he stressed.

According to Grushko, "the provisions are documented" in the draft agreement on security guarantees initiated by Russia in 2021.

"Russia is proposing two initiatives in 2021," he said.

"One of them is addressed to the United States and the other to NATO member countries. Both are not supported. We recognize that what our partners call are not ready to engage in substantial dialogue," he explained.

"Then it became clear the essence of the alliance's military development and military preparation on behalf of the United States aimed at achieving the advantage over Russia," said Deputy Foreign Minister Grushko.

"In addition, Ukraine was chosen as the main battlefield, a military operation theater against Russia," he added.

The Russian diplomat noted that to this day "the conflict has reached a phase where the West has been strategically defeated."

"Europe must understand if strong international legal guarantees regarding Russia's security apply, excluding Ukraine's membership in NATO and the possibility of deploying foreign military contingents in its territory or using them to exert military pressure on Russia, Ukraine's security and the entire region in a broader sense will be guaranteed, as one of the roots causing the conflict will be removed," he added.

The United States held a meeting with Ukraine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on March 11 to discuss the Russian-Ukraine war that broke out on February 24, 2022.

After the meeting, Ukraine decided to accept US proposals for a ceasefire of 30 days. In return, Washington agreed to immediately lift the pause in the distribution of intelligence information and continue military aid to Kyiv.

The parties also agreed to sign an agreement on Ukrainian minerals as soon as possible.

On March 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his gratitude to US President Donald Trump for his involvement in peace negotiations and supported the idea of a ceasefire.

However, the Russian president cited several important issues such as the status of Ukrainian military personnel who had invaded the Kursk Region, a mechanism for monitoring the ceasefire, and Ukraine's potential action during this period.

He stated that Moscow was open to proposals to end hostilities in Ukraine, provided the proposal paved the way for long-term peace and address the root causes of the crisis.