Russian authorities issued stark ultimatums to NATO and Ukraine as diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict take shape in Saudi Arabia.
On Monday, a senior Kremlin official warned that NATO must halt its military support for Ukraine and withdraw forces from regions Russia claims as its own, or face unspecified consequences. The demands come as representatives from multiple nations gather in Riyadh for talks aimed at ending the war that has destabilized Eastern Europe for nearly three years.
According to Fox News:
Russia’s foreign ministry issued several ultimatums as the talks began early Tuesday morning. Russian officials noted that Ukrainian membership in NATO is unacceptable, and they said a simple refusal by NATO to allow Ukraine to join is not a sufficient protection. Instead, Russian officials said NATO must disavow promises of Ukrainian membership in NATO made during a 2008 summit in Bucharest.
The groups, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, are seeking terms for a peace agreement in Ukraine as well as negotiating a potential meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov emphasized Moscow’s position, stating that any resolution must recognize Russia’s territorial gains since the invasion began in February 2022.
“The so-called support from the West must cease, and NATO’s presence near our borders must be rolled back,” Ryabkov said in an interview with state media. He further accused the alliance of prolonging the conflict by arming Kyiv and training Ukrainian troops.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s leadership has rejected Russia’s preconditions, arguing that ceding territory would reward aggression. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, speaking ahead of the Saudi-hosted negotiations, insisted that peace must be based on international law and Ukraine’s sovereignty. “Russia cannot dictate terms while occupying our land,” Kuleba said.
The Riyadh talks, brokered by Saudi Arabia, mark a rare attempt to bring the warring sides and their backers to the table. Saudi officials have positioned themselves as neutral mediators, leveraging their diplomatic ties with both Moscow and Western capitals. Sources familiar with the discussions say the agenda includes a potential ceasefire, prisoner exchanges, and humanitarian aid corridors—though optimism remains cautious given the entrenched positions of both sides.
The timing of Russia’s ultimatums has drawn scrutiny. Analysts suggest the Kremlin may be seeking to strengthen its leverage before serious bargaining begins.
“This is classic posturing,” said Elena Petrova, a geopolitical expert at the Moscow Institute of International Relations. “Russia wants to frame any concessions as victories.”
On the ground, fighting continues unabated. Ukraine reported heavy shelling in the eastern Donetsk region, while Russian forces claimed to have repelled a Ukrainian counteroffensive near Kharkiv. The war’s toll—tens of thousands dead and millions displaced—underscores the urgency of the Saudi initiative.
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The United States and its NATO allies have dismissed Russia’s demands as unrealistic. A State Department spokesperson reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to Ukraine, calling the Kremlin’s rhetoric “a distraction from its battlefield setbacks.” European leaders echoed this stance, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledging additional aid to Kyiv during a summit in Brussels.
As the Riyadh talks unfold, the world watches to see if Saudi Arabia’s mediation can bridge the gaping divide—or if Russia’s latest threats will derail yet another push for peace.
Article generated from legacy media reports.
