The presence of Western military forces in Ukraine is a red line for Moscow, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, following a high-level meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia.
Lavrov also criticized Ukraine’s growing ties with NATO, calling it one of the West’s biggest mistakes.
“The deployment of armed forces from NATO countries, even under false flags like the EU or national banners, does not change anything. This is unacceptable for us. We have carefully noted that President Trump has previously acknowledged that drawing Ukraine into NATO was one of Biden’s greatest mistakes.”
Lavrov reiterated Russia’s stance that NATO expansion and Ukraine’s alignment with the alliance pose a direct threat to Russian sovereignty.
On the other hand, Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the EU’s role in future negotiations.
“To end any conflict, all sides must make concessions. We will not predefine what those are. The EU must be part of the discussions as it has imposed sanctions on Russia.”
Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, traveling with Rubio, stated that any resolution to the war must be permanent and not temporary like past agreements.
Despite no apparent breakthroughs, the Kremlin delegation considered the talks a diplomatic success, as Russia and the US formally engaged in negotiations for the first time since the invasion.
