Russia offers EU ‘legal’ peace guarantees amid Ukraine war
Russia has proposed “legally formalizing” non-aggression guarantees for the European Union, a move Moscow says is aimed at reassuring Europe amid heightened tensions over the war in Ukraine.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov made the remarks during a security discussion hosted by the Valdai International Discussion Club, insisting that Moscow has no plans to attack European countries, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
“Russia does not pursue the conquest objectives that are attributed to our country,” Ryabkov said, adding that Moscow is prepared to legally codify guarantees of peaceful intent toward the EU. He noted that President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly raised the idea in the past.
Despite the proposal, Ryabkov acknowledged that few European states appear willing to engage with Russia on building a shared security framework. According to him, most EU countries continue to operate within what he described as the “collective West.”
In Ryabkov’s assessment, any notion of an “indivisible security space” in Europe would exist only within NATO and its allies — a development he said increases the risk of a direct Russia–NATO confrontation.
“Even with a more balanced U.S. approach toward Russia, significant risks of a clash with NATO remain due to hostile actions by European countries,” he added.
Political analysts and European officials have reacted cautiously, warning that Moscow’s statements may be part of a broader messaging campaign. Critics argue that Russia’s words often conflict with its actions, pointing to the ongoing war in Ukraine and Russia’s military buildup near EU and NATO borders.
The comments come as diplomatic efforts to end the Russia–Ukraine war continue. The United States, Ukraine, and European partners have spent the past month refining a new American-backed peace initiative.
The latest round of talks took place in Miami from December 19 to 21, where U.S. and Ukrainian officials held consultations on four core documents expected to form part of a future peace agreement.
Following the talks, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said Russia remains committed to achieving peace in Ukraine. However, Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev left the meeting without comment, only noting that the next round of discussions is expected to take place in Moscow.
As fighting continues and diplomatic trust remains fragile, Russia’s proposal to formalize peace guarantees is likely to face close scrutiny from European capitals.
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