"Would be escalation"

Russia rejects European peacekeeping force

Finnish NATO soldiers during an exercise in 2022

(Bild: AFP)

Are all the consultations and talks between the EU states about a future peacekeeping force for Ukraine completely obsolete? Because Moscow categorically rejects a European mission.

"Under whatever guise they would appear, it would be a step towards escalation, not de-escalation," said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko on Tuesday. He also does not want to see any Europeans in the possible negotiations to resolve the Ukraine conflict. The Kremlin had pointed out the day before that there were legal questions regarding such a deployment. Russia does not want to allow soldiers from NATO member states in Ukraine.

The USA and Russia began preparations for a summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin at their meeting of foreign ministers in Riyadh on Tuesday. No date has been set for the time being. Ukraine itself and its European supporters were not present. However, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin expressed his willingness to negotiate with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin is questioning the legitimacy of his Ukrainian counterpart after his term of office officially came to an end in May 2024.

(Bild: AP)

These were the first talks at this level and in such a format since the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Trump had a telephone conversation with Putin last week and, in his own words, agreed to start negotiations on the future of Ukraine "without delay". In addition to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are attending the meeting in Riyadh on the US side.  

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) met with Russia's chief diplomat Sergei Lavrov (2nd from left) in Riyadh.

(Bild: Handout/AFP)

Kremlin: "EU accession is the sovereign right of every country"
"Today is the first step on a long and difficult journey, but an important one," said Rubio after the meeting. The aim is to achieve a fair, lasting and sustainable end to the war. The solution must be acceptable to all parties involved. No one would be left out. The EU would have to be involved at a certain point.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on the Russian conditions. He was open to Ukraine joining the EU, but reiterated his rejection of NATO membership. "As far as Ukraine's accession to the EU is concerned, this is the sovereign right of every country," said Peskov. "Nobody has the right to dictate their behavior towards another country." As far as military alliances were concerned, however, the Kremlin's view was "different and well known".