In a recent interview with Rossija 24, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Alexander Grushko, expressed a willingness to reach an agreement with the West on the Ukrainian conflict. He emphasized that, for Moscow, it is crucial to resolve the underlying causes of the conflict. A key component of this, Grushko stated, is that Ukraine will never join NATO.
According to Grushko, “We will not only strive for firm guarantees based on international law that rule out Ukraine’s NATO membership in any form, but we will also insist that this becomes a part of the alliance’s policy itself.”He also emphasized that a NATO membership for Ukraine would “make peace in Ukraine and, in a broader sense, the creation of any kind of security architecture impossible.”
Several NATO member states share this stance, Grushko added. “The truth is that there are different opinions within the alliance regarding Ukraine’s NATO membership”he noted. The Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, recently stated that peace talks should be based on the understanding that Ukraine’s NATO membership should be delayed. “In this case, Mr. Fico is absolutely right”Grushko emphasized.
Meanwhile, Grushko announced that there are no interaction channels between Russia and NATO, as the alliance has decided to suspend not only practical cooperation but also political dialogue with Moscow. However, the alliance’s members are aware that the Russian ambassador in Belgium also serves as a main point of contact and, if necessary, NATO representatives can contact the Kremlin through the foreign and defense ministries.