Moscow, December 30, 2024 – The Europe Today: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that Russia will not agree to a mere postponement of Ukraine’s NATO membership or the deployment of European peacekeepers to Ukraine. These proposals were reportedly suggested by advisers of US President-elect Donald Trump as part of a potential peace deal.
In an interview with TASS news agency published on Monday, Lavrov said Russia has not received any signals from Trump’s team regarding negotiations to resolve the Ukraine conflict.
“We have always been and remain ready for negotiations. But it is important to understand with whom and about what to conduct them,” Lavrov emphasized.
He further stated that if discussions with the incoming US administration occur, Moscow will not accept the proposals reported in the media from Trump’s advisers.
During his campaign, Trump had repeatedly promised to find a swift diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis but did not detail his approach.
The Wall Street Journal reported in November that Trump’s team had drafted a plan that included delaying Ukraine’s NATO membership for 20 years, freezing the current front lines, and establishing a demilitarized zone controlled by European peacekeepers.
Lavrov stressed that peace can only be achieved through “reliable, legally binding agreements” that address the root causes of the conflict and include mechanisms to prevent future violations.
He reiterated Russia’s stance on the Ukraine conflict, as articulated by President Vladimir Putin, including the conditions agreed upon in Istanbul in 2022. These involve Ukraine maintaining a neutral, non-aligned status, restrictions on deploying foreign weaponry, and recognition of the territorial changes resulting from referendums in Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye.
