After meeting with the Jordanian foreign minister, Lavrov stated at a press conference that Moscow would not accept collective security guarantees for Ukraine without Russia’s involvement. Russia would agree if the guarantees are provided equally alongside countries like China, the US, UK, and France.
Western allies reject the idea of Beijing and Moscow having influence over Ukraine’s security guarantees, even as they seek to create a protective plan for Ukraine once a ceasefire or peace agreement is established.
The possibility of a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy remains unlikely, as indicated by Lavrov’s comments earlier this week. Lavrov revisited an idea from the April 2022 Istanbul peace talks, involving a NATO-like coalition providing security guarantees to Ukraine, which failed because Moscow insisted on a unanimous approval clause, including Russia’s agreement.
Lavrov expressed confidence that Western countries, especially the US, understand that discussing security without Russia is futile. He criticized EU diplomat Kaja Kallas for her stance on foreign policy.
Trump, after meetings with Putin, Zelenskyy, and European leaders, suggested Ukraine would receive “Article 5-like” NATO protections but did not detail specifics. He promised no American troops would be deployed in Ukraine.
European leaders are skeptical of Putin’s intentions for a peace agreement, with Lavrov’s comments reinforcing this view.
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