Moscow rejects collective security guarantees for Ukraine that ignore Russia's interests

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday rejected collective security guarantees for Ukraine that do not take Russia's interests into account.

"We cannot allow collective security issues to be resolved now without Russia," Lavrov said at a press conference.

In response to a question about security guarantees in Kiev, the head of Russian diplomacy has said that Moscow will "firmly and rigorously defend its legitimate interests."

"I am convinced that the West, and especially the United States, fully understand that seriously discussing security issues without Russia is a utopia, a path that goes nowhere," he said.

Lavrov recalled that in April 2022 Ukraine itself proposed to Russia a peace agreement in which, among other things, it was prepared to renounce NATO, that is, to renounce neutrality and nuclear weapons.

Moscow has explained that it was prepared to sign a document on guarantees that would include all permanent members of the Security Council and other countries such as Germany or Turkey.

"Ukraine's proposal meant that these guarantees would be the same. The security of all stakeholders, including Ukraine's neighbors, would be guaranteed in an equal and indivisible manner. And Russia supported that view at the time," he said.

This Tuesday, Lavrov lowered expectations about a meeting between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodimir Zelenski, saying that summits between heads of state should be prepared "in all detail."