The NATO defence chief on Wednesday had a “fun discussion” about security guarantees that Kiev could provide to establish a peace deal that would end the three-year war in Russia’s Ukraine, allies said.
Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cabo Dragon, chairman of NATO’s military committee, said 32 defense chiefs from across the alliance had held a video conference amid a US-led diplomatic push to end the battle.
He said they had a “great, straightforward argument.”
“I thanked everyone for being always enthusiastic about attending these meetings. We were united and that unity was really concrete as always,” he said in a post on social media platform X, but did not give any further details.
The assurance that it will not be invaded again in the future is one of the keys to registering Ukraine with a peace agreement with Russia.
It hopes to strengthen its defenses with Western help of the military, including weapons and training, and Western officials are in a hurry to grasp the commitments they can provide.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has encouraged efforts to tackle security arrangements in Ukraine without Moscow’s involvement.
“We cannot agree with the fact that it is currently proposed to resolve collective security issues without the Russian Federation. This will not work,” Lavrov said Wednesday in a comment carried by state communications agency Ria Novosti.
Russia “will provide a firm and strict guarantee of legitimate interests,” Lavrov added at a press conference in Moscow.
General Alexus Grinkeivic, Europe, NATO’s best alliance commander, advised at Trump Putin Summit last week in Alaska, took part in the virtual talks, the Dragon said.
US Chairman, U.S. General Dan Kane, was also scheduled to take part, the US Secretary of Defense said.
Kane also held Tuesday evening in Washington and the European military chief in Washington to assess the best military options for political leaders, according to a defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Details of Ukrainian security forces
US President Donald Trump met with Alaska’s Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday and hosted Ukrainian President Voldimi Zelensky and prominent European leaders at the White House on Monday, but neither of the meetings brought about concrete progress.
Trump is trying to induce Putin and Zelenkie towards a settlement more than three years after Russia invaded his neighbors, but the major obstacles remain.
They include demands for Ukrainian Western-backed military assurances to ensure Russia does not have another invasion in the future.
“We need strong security guarantees to ensure truly safe and lasting peace,” Zelensky said in a telegram post Wednesday after Russian missile and drone strikes struck six regions of Ukraine overnight.
Kyiv’s European allies are looking to establish a unit that can act as a backstop in peace agreements and carry out a coalition of 30 countries, including European countries, Japan and Australia.
The military chief is thinking about how its security forces will function. The role that the United States may play is unknown. On Tuesday, Trump ruled out US troops from sending out to help protect Ukraine from Russia.
Russia has repeatedly said it would not accept Ukrainian NATO forces.
Ukrainian authorities said the attacks on the civilian areas of Smie and Odesa up until Wednesday have injured 15 people, including a family with three small children.
The Russian strike also targeted ports and fuel and energy infrastructure, officials said.
Zelenskyy said the strike “just confirms the need for pressure on Moscow, the need to introduce new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy is utilized to its fullest extent.”
Additional sources •AP
