Russia demands Ukraine’s neutrality in any peace deal

Russia will insist on guarantees that Ukraine will be excluded from NATO membership and remain neutral as part of any peace agreement, a Russian deputy foreign minister has said.

“We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement,” Alexander Grushko told Russian media outlet Izvestia.

“Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of NATO countries to accept it into the alliance,” he added.

The statement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, amid ongoing efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in the three-year war.

Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday evening, Trump said, “A lot of work’s been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.” His administration has been pushing for diplomatic talks to de-escalate the conflict, though key sticking points—such as Ukraine’s territorial integrity and NATO aspirations—remain unresolved.

While Russia has long opposed Ukraine’s NATO ambitions, Kyiv has insisted that any peace deal must respect its sovereignty and right to determine its own security policies. With talks intensifying, the coming days may prove critical in shaping the future of the conflict.