Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that Moscow is categorically against the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine, even if they operate under the flags of the European Union or national flags. He made this statement on Tuesday after talks with the United States in Riyadh. This was reported by Sky News.
Lavrov stressed that any NATO military presence in Ukraine is “absolutely unacceptable” and does not change the nature of the conflict. His remarks came amid discussions about the possible deployment of European forces in Ukraine to guarantee security and enforce a potential peace agreement.
These were the first high-level talks between Russia and the United States in several years, lasting more than four hours. Washington and Moscow agreed to set up two working groups to discuss a possible end to the war. Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that NATO should officially abandon its 2008 decision on Ukraine’s future membership in the Alliance.
