This was reported by several informed diplomats and Alliance officials in a comment to Radio Free Europe on condition of anonymity Radio Free EuropeCurrently
NATO is currently not holding any discussions regarding Russia’s demands for written guarantees that the Alliance will not expand eastward. This was reported by several diplomats and NATO officials who wished to remain anonymous.
Earlier, the Reuters agency noted that this demand is one of the conditions under which Russian President Vladimir Putin is allegedly ready to end the war in Ukraine. However, sources within NATO emphasized that this issue has not been raised at any recent or previous Alliance meetings.
One diplomat expressed the view that this matter resembles more of an “academic discussion,” since decisions in NATO are made only by consensus. Another interlocutor pointed out that Russia’s demand for a written refusal of expansion contradicts international law, as the right of every state to freely choose alliances is enshrined in several international documents, such as the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949, the Vienna Convention of 1969, and the Helsinki Final Act of 1975.
The NATO-Russia Founding Act of 1997 was also mentioned, which, despite losing relevance, has not been formally revoked. This document speaks about respect for territorial integrity, sovereignty, and the inviolability of borders.
NATO has sought comments from the Foreign Ministries of the United Kingdom, Germany, the Élysée Palace, and the Alliance headquarters. Responses to these inquiries will be published once received.
U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Keith Kellogg spoke about the “legitimacy” of Russia’s concerns regarding possible NATO expansion eastward, adding that the U.S. is currently not considering Ukraine’s membership in the Alliance.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded by stating that Russia is satisfied that Putin’s position on Ukraine’s NATO membership “finds understanding” in Washington.
Ukraine officially declared its course toward NATO membership in 2019, when it was enshrined in the Constitution. After Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Kyiv submitted an application to join the Alliance.
Although at the Vilnius summit in July 2023 Ukraine did not receive a specific accession timeline, allies confirmed that its future lies within NATO. The Alliance also established the Ukraine-NATO Council as a platform for political interaction.