Russia agrees that security guarantees for Ukraine should be provided on an equal basis with the participation of countries such as China, the United States, the United Kingdom and France, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on August 20.

He added that Russia itself should also be among those providing Ukraine’s security guarantees.

“As for reports that Britain, France and Germany want to create and develop collective security guarantees, we are in favor of those guarantees being truly reliable,” Russian media quoted Lavrov as saying.

He also said he cannot accept decisions on Ukraine’s security guarantees being made without Russia.

“That won’t work. We have explained more than once that Russia does not overstate its interests, but we will firmly and toughly ensure our legitimate interests. I am sure that in the West, and primarily in the United States, they perfectly understand that seriously discussing security issues without Russia is a utopia, a road to nowhere,” the foreign minister said.

Ukraine is seeking security guarantees similar to those provided to NATO members under Article 5.

That idea was floated over the weekend by Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East and Ukraine. Such a mechanism could potentially draw the United States into a larger conflict if Russia attacks peacekeepers. Moscow has already come out sharply against any security guarantees, although Trump recently said Putin could supposedly agree to the deployment of NATO peacekeeping forces in eastern Ukraine.

At the same time, according to the US president, the United Kingdom, France and Germany will deploy troops to Ukraine to ensure peace.

However, US forces will not join them. In total, about 10 countries are ready to send troops to Ukraine, according to media reports.

Meanwhile, Politico reports that a truly effective solution may still be far off, and even organizing a special mission poses enormous challenges.

  War in Ukraine, Lavrov

Comments