Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov appears to be seeking China’s involvement in current negotiations, as NATO leaders and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet this week to address Kyiv’s security assurances.
Lavrov stated that Moscow’s interest lies solely in “truly reliable” guarantees for Ukraine, asserting that these should be founded upon a 2022 draft agreement previously debated by Ukrainian and Russian negotiators early in the conflict.
However, the proposal never materialized, primarily because Kyiv maintained that the plan granted Moscow undue influence over its security.
Under that proposal, Ukraine would have received security assurances from a coalition of nations, including the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council—one of which is Russia—a condition Kyiv argued would have granted Moscow effective veto authority over any future military assistance.
China, also a member of the U.N. Security Council, has attracted international criticism not only for its refusal to denounce the illegal invasion but also for its backing of Moscow throughout the conflict.
“Russia agrees that security guarantees for Ukraine be provided on an equal basis with the participation of countries such as China, the USA, Britain, and France,” Lavrov stated on Wednesday, as translated by Russian state media RIA in a Telegram post.
While it is improbable that Ukraine would consent to a plan affording Russia, and potentially China, any control over its future security, Beijing has affirmed its support for “fair and objective” peace discussions.
“China did not create the Ukraine crisis, nor is China a party to it. Even so, China has since day one held an objective and fair position and promoted talks for peace,” Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu informed Digital, referencing the “four principles” peace plan put forth by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2024.
“China stands ready to, in light of the will of the parties concerned and together with the rest of the international community, continue playing a constructive role for the political settlement of the crisis,” Liu further remarked.
Lavrov additionally accused NATO leaders of “unethical attempts to change the position of the Trump administration and the President of the United States personally” following their Monday meeting with President in Washington, D.C.
Limited details have surfaced from these meetings, where leaders from Europe, Ukraine, and senior Trump administration officials—including Vice President, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and White House envoy Steve Witkoff—are working to define security terms for Ukraine in an effort to conclude the conflict.
The President, known for making controversial remarks, characterized the Monday meetings as “a fairly aggressive escalation of the situation” and “rather clumsy.”
A European diplomat engaged in coordinating security guarantees with the U.S. indicated that Lavrov’s statements have been largely disregarded by Washington and NATO allies, having no impact on ongoing progress.
“It’s noise,” the diplomat commented, adding, “Monday’s demonstration of unity in support of Ukraine has put [Russian President Vladimir] Putin on the defensive. These remarks exemplify typical Russian maneuvering and unreliability—at a point when they should be seriously engaging with President Trump’s initiative for peace.”
“Lavrov has consistently done this,” the official further stated.
The White House also informed that statements from Russian officials are largely disregarded unless they originate directly from their President.