Senior Russian diplomat says Moscow also needs security guarantees

MOSCOW – An agreement to settle the nearly four-year-old conflict between Russia and Ukraine must also take into consideration security guarantees for Russia, a senior Russian diplomat was quoted as saying early on Feb 10.

“We recognise that a peace settlement in Ukraine must take account of Ukraine’s security interests, but a key factor, of course, is Russia’s security interests,” Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told the Izvestia media outlet.

“If you look carefully and study the statements made by the leaders of the European Union, no one talks about security guarantees for Russia. This is a key element of a peace accord. Without it, an agreement is impossible.”

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators have held two rounds of talks in recent weeks with US representatives in the United Arab Emirates. No peace deal has emerged, but the two sides agreed at their latest meeting last week on the first exchange of prisoners of war in five months.

Security guarantees for Ukraine have been a focal point of discussions, along with the extent of Russia’s control of Ukrainian territory and plans for post-war recovery in Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb 9 that documents on security guarantees for Ukraine were ready.

Media outlet Izvestia said Mr Grushko listed elements of what might be contained in such guarantees.

These included demands long called for by Moscow, including a bar on NATO membership for Ukraine, the rejection of any deployment of troops from NATO states in Ukraine as part of a settlement and an end to what he described as the use of Ukrainian territory to pose “threats” to Russia.

Both sides in the latest talks agreed to attend a future round of discussions, but no date has been set. Mr Zelensky has said the next meeting will take place in the US. REUTERS