FM Lavrov: Russia not to accept NATO peacekeepers in Ukraine “Under no conditions”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Russia will under no circumstances accept the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine as peacekeepers.

He made the remarks in an interview with US bloggers Mario Naufalu, Larry Johnson and Andrew Napolitano, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

When asked under what conditions Russia could accept the presence of NATO military countries as peacekeepers in Ukraine, Lavrov responded with an unequivocal rejection of any options for the development of the relevant initiative.

“Not under any conditions. No one is talking to us. They continue to claim 'nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine', but they are doing everything against Russia without Russia," the minister said.

Lavrov also referred to a previous comment by U.S. President Donald Trump on the subject, noting that Trump had stated it was "too early to discuss it" and stressed that the consent of all parties was typically required for peacekeeping operations. In Lavrov's view, this requirement renders NATO’s involvement unacceptable.

"Why should we consent to a peacekeeping force or some peacekeeping group? They want such a force to consist of countries that have declared us an enemy. Will they come there as peacekeepers?" Lavrov questioned, highlighting Russia's belief that NATO countries, which it considers adversaries, cannot be trusted to serve as neutral peacekeepers in the conflict.

Let's note that European nations are actively exploring the deployment of peacekeeping forces to Ukraine to enforce a potential ceasefire with Russia. On March 11-13, 2025, military chiefs from over 30 European and NATO countries convened in Paris to discuss plans for such a mission. Notably, the United States was not invited, underscoring Europe's intent to independently manage Ukraine's post-conflict security.

The proposed "coalition of the willing" aims to deploy a 30,000-strong peacekeeping force, primarily composed of troops from countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, and Denmark. However, major EU military powers, including Poland and Italy, have expressed reluctance to participate.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has indicated openness to the idea of European peacekeepers as part of a broader peace agreement, viewing it as a temporary security measure until Ukraine achieves NATO membership. He emphasized the necessity of establishing clear timelines for EU and NATO accession amidst ongoing conflict.

By Khagan Isayev