Russian Foreign Ministry has spoken out against Western military presence in Ukraine
Against the backdrop of preparations for trilateral talks on the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin has once again taken a tough stance on foreign military presence.
According to Censor.NET, this is reported in Russian media publications.
Moscow has stated its categorical disagreement with the deployment of any foreign military contingent on Ukrainian territory. The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that it makes no difference to them whether these forces operate under the NATO or European Union flag. The Russian side considers such a presence a direct threat to its own security.
The position of the Russian Foreign Ministry on peacekeeping missions
Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that the affiliation of foreign troops with a specific international structure does not change Moscow's attitude. According to him, any military presence of the West in Ukraine is regarded as direct participation in the conflict.
"It makes no difference whether the French corporal's uniform says 'NATO' or 'EU'. It doesn't change anything," said Alexander Grushko.
He also added that, according to the Kremlin, Ukraine's security is only possible if its territory is not used to pose a threat to Russia.
Negotiations in Abu Dhabi and postponement of dates
Earlier it became known that the second round of negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine had been postponed for several days. The consultations were planned to be held on February 1 in Abu Dhabi, but now the meeting is expected to take place on February 4 and 5.
The decision was made after contacts between US and Russian representatives in Florida. On January 31, a meeting was held there between US Special Representative Steve Witkoff and Russian representative Kirill Dmitriev. The Ukrainian side did not participate in these talks, and the details of the conversation were not officially disclosed.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously confirmed the new dates for trilateral meetings between Ukraine, the US, and Russia.
- The parties described the preliminary talks held on January 23–24 as constructive, although territorial issues remained unresolved.
