Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has declared that efforts to shape Ukraine’s future security without Russia’s involvement amount to “a road to nowhere.” Speaking in Moscow on Wednesday after talks with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Lavrov said it was unrealistic for the West to exclude Russia from any serious security arrangement concerning Ukraine.
Western Talks
Lavrov’s warning came just days after U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met European leaders in Washington to discuss possible guarantees for Kyiv. Lavrov criticised what he called “clumsy and unethical attempts” by European leaders to pressure the Trump administration.
“We cannot agree with the fact that now it is proposed to resolve questions of security, collective security, without the Russian Federation. This will not work,” Lavrov said. “I am sure that in the West and above all in the United States they understand perfectly well that seriously discussing security issues without the Russian Federation is a utopia, it’s a road to nowhere.”
Istanbul Draft Revisited
Lavrov argued that “truly reliable” guarantees for Ukraine could be built on a draft agreement first discussed in Istanbul in 2022. That plan proposed Ukraine’s neutrality, the abandonment of NATO membership ambitions, and security guarantees from countries including Russia, China, the United States, Britain, and France.
Under the draft, guarantor states would have been bound to respect Ukraine’s independence and refrain from the use of force. But Russia insisted that all decisions must be unanimous, effectively giving Moscow veto power. Kyiv rejected the plan at the time, fearing that it would strip Ukraine of real protection.
NATO Role Rejected
Moscow also repeated its strong opposition to “any scenarios involving the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine.” According to Lavrov, the West cannot push through unilateral guarantees or impose military arrangements that ignore Russia’s position. He accused European leaders of escalating tensions rather than offering constructive ideas.
Trump, for his part, told reporters this week that the U.S. would help guarantee Ukraine’s security but would not send American troops on the ground. He left open the possibility of air support as part of a broader deal to end the conflict.
Ukraine Security Without Moscow Is a Road to Nowhere, that was the Russian foreign minister’s blunt message to the West. With both Washington and Kyiv looking for long-term security arrangements, Moscow has made it clear that any attempt to sideline it will fail.
