Ukraine War: Kremlin welcomes the United States to the NATO recording of Ukraine

Russia has welcomed a no from the United States to NATO for the admission of Ukraine. “We heard from Washington at various levels that membership of Ukraine is excluded in NATO,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskow, according to Russian news agencies. “And that is certainly something that causes our satisfaction and coincides with our position.” Ukraine could not become a member of the military alliance “because this would be a threat to the national interests of the Russian Federation,” emphasized Peskow.

The US government under President Donald Trump had repeatedly positioned itself publicly against a NATO joining of the Ukraine attacked by Russia. Trump himself ruled out the membership requested by Kiev at the end of February, Defense Minister Pete Hegseth had previously declared accession after the end of the war.

Peskow also said that Russia continued to focus on the negotiations under the leadership of the United States while struggling for a peaceful solution in the Ukraine War. “Of course we hope that this work will bring results,” he said. With a view to the hope expressed by US President Trump, Peskow could conclude that Russia and Ukraine could conclude an agreement this week about termination of the conflict. Peskow did not want to commit to a time frame.

Kremlin: Negotiations “absolutely discreet”

At the same time, the Kremlin spokesman emphasized that the negotiations behind closed doors were “absolutely discreet” and that there were no subject of public debates. He warned against relying on media reports on possible key points of such an agreement. For example, there were reports that the United States were ready, for example, to recognize the Black Sea Peninsula, which was annexed by Moscow as a Russian territory.

It is clear, for example, that it is an important war goal of Russia to permanently prevent Ukraine’s accession. “This is one of the core causes of the conflict,” said Peskow. Moscow repeatedly asked Kiev to do without the five Ukrainian areas annexed by Russia for a peace solution.

The Ukraine, which is striving in NATO and the EU, has been defending itself against the Russian attack war for more than three years. The Ukrainian leadership has always categorically rejected a waiver of NATO membership and its areas.