Europe has rejected the Kremlin's demands to change the continent's security system — FT

European leaders rejected Russia’s proposal to revise Europe’s security architecture as part of negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

Moscow insists on limiting NATO expansion, restricting military exercises near Russian borders, and withdrawing troops and equipment from the Alliance’s eastern flank. 

 In European capitals, these demands are seen as an attempt by the Kremlin to restore its sphere of influence and limit the sovereignty of neighboring states.

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal called the condition that Europe be allowed to join the negotiations only after these issues are discussed a trap. EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas emphasized that a new security architecture can only be discussed after a peace agreement has been reached.

European Council President António Costa stated that the current security system has been shattered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He also emphasized that European security issues cannot be resolved without the participation of the European countries themselves, the EU, and NATO.

Source: Financial Times

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia’s talk of security guarantees has nothing to do with a genuine desire for peace.

Russia has declared its readiness to conclude bilateral non-aggression agreements with individual NATO countries and to provide them with additional individual security guarantees. This proposal was announced by Alexei Drobinin, director of the Foreign Policy Planning Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, during an international forum on collective security in Moscow.

Moscow has prepared its own position paper on the formation of a new security architecture in Eurasia, which, according to the Kremlin’s plan, should include all of its allies. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the proposed system should not restrict the interests of any of the parties.