Russia Warns West: No Security Deal on Ukraine Without Us

Russia on Wednesday dismissed Western efforts to devise security guarantees for Ukraine without its involvement, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warning such talks were “a road to nowhere.”

Speaking after a meeting with Jordan’s foreign minister, Lavrov said Moscow could not accept attempts to resolve “questions of collective security” without Russian participation. “Seriously discussing security issues without the Russian Federation is a utopia,” he said.

His remarks followed a White House meeting earlier this week between U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and European leaders on possible security arrangements to help end the three-and-a-half-year-old war. Lavrov accused European leaders of “clumsy” and “unethical” attempts to pressure Trump into shifting his stance, adding that Russia heard “no constructive ideas” from them.

U.S. and NATO officials have begun exploring post-conflict guarantees for Kyiv, though Washington has ruled out deploying American troops. Trump suggested air support might be part of any deal. Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak confirmed Ukraine and its allies were working on the “military component” of the guarantees and contingency plans if Moscow prolongs the conflict.

Moscow reiterated its opposition to “any scenarios involving the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine,” while pointing to draft terms from Istanbul talks in 2022 that would have given Kyiv guarantees from major powers, including Russia. Kyiv rejected that plan at the time, citing concerns it would grant Moscow veto power over any international response.

The debate comes amid rising tensions after Poland said a Russian drone crashed in its territory overnight, which Warsaw called a deliberate provocation as peace talks accelerate.