GS 2 – International Relations
Context:
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in an interview (NBC News, August 2025), reiterated Russia’s conditions for a peace settlement with Ukraine. These include security guarantees for Ukraine, permanent neutrality, and a bar on NATO membership.
Key Highlights:
- Security Guarantees:
- Russia proposes that a group of nations, including UN Security Council’s P5 (U.S., U.K., France, Russia, China), along with Germany, Türkiye, and others, act as guarantors of Ukraine’s security.
- Non-Negotiable Terms (as per Lavrov):
- Ukraine must remain neutral.
- Ukraine must stay non-aligned with any military bloc.
- Ukraine must be non-nuclear.
- NATO membership for Ukraine is unacceptable to Russia.
- Background – 2022 Istanbul Talks:
- Negotiations had explored Ukraine’s neutrality in exchange for international security guarantees.
- Talks collapsed, but Russia continues to cite them as a model for future settlement.
- Other Demands:
- Protection of Russian-speaking population in Ukraine.
- Territorial discussions still remain unresolved.
- U.S. Position:
- U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance claimed Russia has already made “significant concessions” in talks with Donald Trump regarding its war demands, rejecting claims that Moscow is dragging peace talks.