Zelenskyy rejects Russian demands for security guarantees
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Russian demands, in particular the Kremlin's statements regarding security guarantees for Russia. He said that Russians should not receive any guarantees since they are the aggressors, according to the press conference of Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Kyiv.
Zelenskyy explained that Ukraine needs security guarantees in order to be sure that Russia will not dare to attack again. That is, these are security guarantees against the aggressor, since Russia attacked Ukraine and not the other way around.
"When Russia raises the issue of security guarantees, to be honest, I still do not know who is threatening them. They attacked us and they are on our (land – ed.). I do not quite understand what guarantees the aggressor needs. Guarantees of what? Therefore, for me it is still unclear what the real meaning is," the president said indignantly.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow would not accept any collective security guarantees without its participation. He emphasized that the Kremlin would demand veto rights as well as the involvement of China.
In Kyiv such a condition was called unacceptable. In the White House such a proposal was openly ridiculed. Russians were also mocked by the European Union – EU Commissioner Andrius Kubilius mocked both Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
At the same time, Lavrov's statement that Russia, China and the USA could act as security guarantor states for Ukraine in fact disrupted Moscow's negotiations with Washington.
