During the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Riga 30.11-01.12.2021, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba stressed in the context of Russia’s demand for guarantees of NATO’s non-expantion to the east.
We believe that the outcomes of the NATO Summit in Madrid should not only outline Allies response to new challenges and threats, but also set guidelines that can help them to deliver Bucharest Summit decisions about our eventual membership. Russia can not stop Ukraine from getting closer with NATO and has no right to have any say in relevant discussions.
Any Russian proposals to discuss with NATO or the U.S. any so-called guarantees that the Alliance would not expand to the East are illegitimate. The best security guarantee for Russia would be to withdraw its forces from the territory of Ukraine, end its aggression against our country and thus normalize its relations with the West instead of dragging Europe back in times of Cold War and spheres of influence. These times are long over and there is no turning back.