Russia’s Lavrov outlines terms for Ukraine peace: Big power security guarantee and no Nato
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says there is a territorial discussion to be had with Ukraine.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MOSCOW – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published on Aug 24 that a group of nations, including United Nations Security Council members, should be the guarantors of Ukraine’s security.
Reuters reported last week that President Vladimir Putin is demanding that Ukraine give up all of the eastern Donbas region, renounce ambitions to join Nato, remain neutral and keep Western troops out of the country.
Mr Lavrov told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that Mr Putin and US President Donald Trump discussed the issue of a security guarantee for Ukraine, and that Mr Putin raised the issue of the failed Istanbul discussions of 2022.
At those discussions, Russia and Ukraine discussed Ukraine’s permanent neutrality in return for security guarantees from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, and other countries, according to a copy of a draft agreement seen by Reuters in 2022.
Mr Lavrov told NBC that a group including Security Council members should guarantee Ukraine’s security.
The group could also include Germany and Turkey and other countries, he said.
“And the guarantors would be guaranteeing the security of Ukraine, which must be neutral, which must be non-aligned with any military bloc and which must be non-nuclear,” Mr Lavrov said, according to a transcript of the interview released by the Foreign Ministry.
Mr Lavrov also made it clear that Nato membership for Ukraine is unacceptable for Russia, that Russia wanted protection for Russian speakers in Ukraine, and that there is a territorial discussion to be had with Ukraine. REUTERS
