Russia wants 'ironclad' guarantee that Ukraine will be barred from NATO: official

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko reportedly said that the Kremlin wants an "ironclad" warrant that Ukraine volition beryllium prohibited from joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), arsenic the Trump medication works to broker a woody to extremity the fighting. 

"We volition request that ironclad information guarantees go portion of this agreement," Grushko was quoted by the Russian paper Izvestia arsenic saying, according to Reuters. "Part of these guarantees should beryllium the neutral presumption of Ukraine, the refusal of NATO countries to judge it into the alliance."

Grushko reportedly made nary notation of the 30-day cease-fire proposal, which was accepted by Ukraine with U.S. negotiators successful Saudi Arabia past week. Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that immoderate statement indispensable archetypal conscionable important conditions. 

TRUMP, PUTIN CALL EXPECTED THIS WEEK, AS ADMIN EDGES CLOSER TO RUSSIA-UKRAINE CEASEFIRE DEAL: WITKOFF
 

In this excavation photograph distributed by Russian authorities bureau Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council gathering via videoconference astatine the Novo-Ogaryovo authorities residence extracurricular Moscow connected March 14, 2025.  (ALEKSEY BABUSHKIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

U.S. peculiar envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff told CNN connected Sunday that Trump and Putin are expected to talk connected the telephone this week. Witkoff himself described having a "positive" and "solution-based" gathering with Putin successful Moscow past week. 

Grushko reportedly reiterated successful the interrogation with Izvestia that Russia remains strictly opposed to the deployment of European troops to Ukraine, arsenic Britain, France and Australia person signaled being unfastened to sending a NATO "peacekeeping" unit to the country.

"It does not substance nether what statement NATO contingents were to beryllium deployed connected Ukrainian territory: beryllium it the European Union, NATO, oregon successful a nationalist capacity," Grushko said, according to Reuters. "If they look there, it means that they are deployed successful the struggle portion with each the consequences for these contingents arsenic parties to the conflict."

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko attends a gathering of Russian Foreign Minister and OSCE Secretary General successful Moscow connected March 11, 2025.  (MAXIM SHEMETOV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

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"We tin speech astir unarmed observers, a civilian ngo that would show the implementation of idiosyncratic aspects of this agreement, oregon warrant mechanisms," Grushko added, saying a woody ought to beryllium reached first. "In the meantime, it's conscionable blistery air."

United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a virtual gathering connected Saturday with 26 nations perchance consenting to beryllium progressive successful a "peacekeeping force" successful Ukraine, The Telegraph reported. 

French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, was quoted arsenic telling respective French media outlets connected Saturday that the volition is to "deploy a fewer 1000 men per nation, astatine cardinal points, to transportation retired grooming programs" and "show our enactment implicit the agelong term." 

"If Ukraine asks allied forces to beryllium connected its territory, it is not up to Russia to judge oregon not," Macron reportedly said. 

French President Emmanuel Macron attends a videoccall arsenic helium takes portion successful a virtual acme held by Britain's premier curate and focused connected bid and information successful Ukraine, astatine the Elysee Palace successful Paris connected March 15, 2025.  (KIRAN RIDLEY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese besides said helium would beryllium consenting to nonstop troops. 

Grushko further argued that a solution to the three-year struggle could lone beryllium sustained if European allies to Kyiv recognize that Ukraine indispensable beryllium barred from NATO rank and overseas subject contingents are kept out. 

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"Then the information of Ukraine and the full portion successful a broader consciousness volition beryllium ensured, since 1 of the basal causes of the struggle volition beryllium eliminated," Grushko said.