Russia on demanded that NATO formally retract its 2008 commitment to grant Ukraine membership in the alliance. Moscow also dismissed any suggestion of NATO troops acting as peacekeepers, following talks with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in Riyadh on Tuesday. Lavrov described the talks as “useful” but reiterated Russia’s stance on Ukraine’s NATO ambitions.
Moscow’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that merely halting Ukraine’s NATO accession was not sufficient. She said NATO must formally rescind its 2008 Bucharest Summit declaration, where the alliance promised Ukraine and Georgia eventual membership but without a set timeline.
"A refusal to accept Kyiv into NATO is not enough now. The alliance must disavow the Bucharest promises of 2008," Zakharova said.
Lavrov also rejected the idea of NATO forces acting as peacekeepers in Ukraine, referring to a proposal by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to send European troops under a separate banner.
“The appearance of NATO forces under a false flag—whether EU or national—does not change anything. This is unacceptable to us,” Lavrov said.
The Bucharest declaration of 2008 was a compromise between the U.S., which backed Ukraine’s entry, and France and Germany, which feared antagonising Russia. Moscow has consistently cited NATO’s expansion as a key reason for its war in Ukraine.
While NATO insists it is a defensive alliance with no expansionist aims, Russia claims that Ukraine’s potential accession represents a direct threat to its sovereignty.
Zakharova also referred to Ukraine’s 1990 declaration of sovereignty, in which Kyiv pledged to remain neutral, avoid military blocs, and remain nuclear-free.
Ukraine gained full independence in 1991 and later agreed to give up its Soviet-era nuclear weapons in exchange for security assurances from Russia, the U.S., and the UK under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum.
Spain’s Interior Ministry declared a state of emergency on Monday after a nationwide power blackout struck much of the Iberian Peninsula.
Germany is steadily losing export market share to China within the European Union, according to a report released Monday by the KfW Development Bank.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier assured NATO allies on Monday that Germany would enhance its military and infrastructure contributions to Europe's defense, in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine and growing concerns over the U.S. commitment to European security.
Singapore has directed Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to block Singaporeans' access to posts by three foreigners accused of attempting to influence the country's upcoming election along racial and religious lines.
Foreign ministers from the enlarged BRICS bloc met in Brasília on Thursday, where host Mauro Vieira urged the group to craft “practical pathways” for resolving global conflicts and strengthening multilateral security ahead of the leaders’ summit later this year.
Spain’s Interior Ministry declared a state of emergency on Monday after a nationwide power blackout struck much of the Iberian Peninsula.
Israel launched a late-night air raid targeting a southern Beirut neighborhood, claiming it struck a building housing "precision-guided" missiles for Hezbollah.
As Canadians head to the polls on Monday, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals are leading Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives in national opinion polls, with Jagmeet Singh’s New Democratic Party (NDP) trailing in third and the separatist Bloc Québécois in fourth. In what is shaping up to be a tight r
The Vatican has announced that the conclave to elect Pope Francis's successor will begin on May 7. Here's a look at the key facts about the conclave, one of the oldest and most secretive elections in the world.
Germany is steadily losing export market share to China within the European Union, according to a report released Monday by the KfW Development Bank.
China has rolled out the world’s first 10-gigabit (10G) fixed broadband network in Xiong'an New Area, promising ultra-fast speeds and low latency through cutting-edge optical infrastructure.
Russia launched a major missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight on April 24, killing at least twelve people and injuring 90, including children and a pregnant woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
China’s pivot away from U.S. liquefied petroleum gas under new tariffs is shaking global energy flows, slashing demand, and fuelling a scramble for alternatives across Asia, with Middle Eastern suppliers and rival buyers seizing the moment.
A deadly attack targeting tourists in India’s Jammu and Kashmir territory has left at least 20 feared dead, marking the deadliest incident against civilians in the region for years, according to security sources.
In an expansive interview marking his first 100 days back in office, President Donald Trump sketched out an agenda that touches everything from punitive tariffs and China policy to cease-fire hopes in Ukraine and an overhaul of domestic programmes. Below are the highlights.
Russia has reiterated its willingness to engage in direct talks with Ukraine, but stressed that international recognition of its control over five Ukrainian regions, including Crimea, is "imperative" for any potential settlement of the conflict.
A US Navy F-18 fighter jet and a tow tractor from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman were lost while operating in the Red Sea, the Navy reported on Monday.
Spain’s Interior Ministry declared a state of emergency on Monday after a nationwide power blackout struck much of the Iberian Peninsula.
As Canadians head to the polls on Monday, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals are leading Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives in national opinion polls, with Jagmeet Singh’s New Democratic Party (NDP) trailing in third and the separatist Bloc Québécois in fourth. In what is shaping up to be a tight r
The Vatican has announced that the conclave to elect Pope Francis's successor will begin on May 7. Here's a look at the key facts about the conclave, one of the oldest and most secretive elections in the world.
Spain’s Interior Ministry declared a state of emergency on Monday after a nationwide power blackout struck much of the Iberian Peninsula.
Israel launched a late-night air raid targeting a southern Beirut neighborhood, claiming it struck a building housing "precision-guided" missiles for Hezbollah.
As Canadians head to the polls on Monday, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals are leading Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives in national opinion polls, with Jagmeet Singh’s New Democratic Party (NDP) trailing in third and the separatist Bloc Québécois in fourth. In what is shaping up to be a tight r
The Vatican has announced that the conclave to elect Pope Francis's successor will begin on May 7. Here's a look at the key facts about the conclave, one of the oldest and most secretive elections in the world.
Germany is steadily losing export market share to China within the European Union, according to a report released Monday by the KfW Development Bank.
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