Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has thrown cold water on any quick peace in Ukraine, as Moscow remains staunchly opposed to Ukraine’s proposed NATO membership.
Russia also refuses to allow any Western troops to serve as a security guarantee on the ground in Ukraine, a key part of the West’s proposal to ensure peace.
Lavrov has also taken direct aim at U.S. President Donald Trump, telling Ukrainska Pravda that the U.S. “abuses the position of the dollar in the global economy and turns the American currency into a weapon against states it finds objectionable.”
Yesterday, in a video message posted for Diplomats’ Day, Lavrov additionally expressed Russia’s “solidarity with the peoples of Venezuela and Cuba,” as “only they can determine their own future.” His comments are clearly referencing the recent kidnapping of disputed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the Trump administration and recent rhetoric about attempting a similar action in Cuba. Cuba was made an official member of the BRICS economic bloc in January 2025, and Venezuela has lobbied hard to become a member as well.
💬 Russia's FM Sergey #Lavrov : Today is #DiplomatsDay
I trust that you will continue to work honourably for the good of the Fatherland and to contribute your share to addressing foreign policy goals set by the President.
🎉 Happy Diplomats’ Day to all!https://t.co/8yO8rlzk58 pic.twitter.com/pSB8ydMm5f
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) February 9, 2026In yet another post from Feb. 9, the Russian Foreign Ministry posted a quote from Lavrov, stating, “the world is changing, yet the West is reluctant to relinquish its formerly dominant positions.”
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, in an interview with the Izvestia daily, cited by Do Rzeczy, has also contributed to Russia’s hardline stance, declaring that without guaranteeing Moscow’s interests, a peace treaty will not be concluded.
Grushko emphasized that while Russia formally recognizes the need to take Ukraine’s security into account, it considers its own strategic interests to be paramount. He believes the West is completely silent on guarantees for Russia, which Moscow believes makes achieving peace impossible. According to “Rzeczpospolita,” Russia’s list of demands primarily includes Ukraine’s permanent exclusion from NATO, a ban on the stationing of foreign troops on its territory, and commitments that Ukraine will not be used as a military base against the Russian Federation in the future.
At the same time, Russia is signaling its readiness to provide its own security guarantees to European states. Moscow is reiterating its proposal for a legal commitment not to attack European states, which was supposedly left unanswered by the West.
Russia’s position comes amid trilateral U.S.-Russia-Ukraine negotiations held in Abu Dhabi. Two rounds of talks have been held so far, and the expected date for an agreement is now mid-2026.
One of the most contentious issues remains the NATO issue. Although Ukraine has signaled a willingness to compromise on short-term security guarantees, most European countries maintain that Kyiv’s path to the Alliance should remain open in the future.
