Kremlin welcomes US rejection of Ukraine's NATO bid, silent on Trump’s peace hopes

The Kremlin expressed approval regarding US President Donald Trump's administration’s position on excluding Ukraine from NATO membership, while declining to comment on Trump’s hopes for a peace deal this week.

Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Moscow was satisfied with US envoy General Keith Kellogg’s statement on April 20 that NATO membership for Ukraine was "off the table," Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

Peskov said, "We have heard from Washington at various levels that Ukraine's membership in NATO is excluded. Of course, this is something that causes our satisfaction and coincides with our position."

The Russian government has long argued that Ukraine’s potential NATO membership would pose a threat to its national interests, citing it as one of the primary causes of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. "Ukrainian membership of the US-led alliance would pose a threat to the national interests of the Russian Federation. And, in fact, this is one of the root causes of this conflict," Peskov added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that Moscow would be willing to end the war if Ukraine officially renounced its NATO ambitions and withdrew its forces from four Ukrainian regions that are claimed and largely controlled by Russia.

Earlier in the week, Trump expressed hopes that a deal could be reached to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. "I hope Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week to end the conflict in Ukraine," Trump said on April 20.

When asked about Trump’s remarks, Peskov chose not to comment on the timeline. "I don't want to make any comments right now, especially about the time frame," he said.

Peskov further emphasized that Russia remained open to a peaceful settlement, stating, "President Putin and the Russian side remain open to seeking a peaceful settlement. We are continuing to work with the American side and, of course, we hope that this work will yield results."

Refusing to address a Bloomberg report that suggested the US might recognize Russia’s control of Crimea as part of a peace deal, Peskov maintained, "Work on finding a peaceful settlement cannot take place, and should not take place, in public. It should take place in an absolutely discrete mode."

By Vafa Guliyeva