Russia Demands Veto Power over Ukraine Security Guarantees, Reviving 2022 Proposal
Table of Contents
Published August 20, 2025
The Stalled Search for Security
As Ukraine continues to seek lasting security assurances against future Russian aggression, Moscow has reiterated its firm opposition to any guarantees negotiated without its direct involvement. Russian Foreign Minister sergei Lavrov stated unequivocally that any such agreement is ”doomed to fail.” This stance revives a proposal from April 2022, initially discussed during peace talks in Istanbul, that would have granted Russia a veto over Ukraine’s security arrangements.
The 2022 Istanbul Proposal: A Russian veto
The 2022 proposal, details of which were published by The New York Times and analyzed by the independent portal Agentstvo, envisioned a broad coalition of security guarantors including Russia, China, the United States, France, Great Britain, Germany, Turkey, and other nations willing to participate. Critically, the agreement would have stipulated that Moscow possess veto power over any future security arrangements for Ukraine. Ukraine, in turn, would have been required to declare its neutrality and forgo membership in NATO or other military alliances.
Past Discussions and Shifting Dynamics
The issue of security guarantees for Ukraine has been a recurring theme in international discussions. Former U.S. President Donald Trump engaged in conversations with both Vladimir Putin and volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding potential guarantees, with Trump suggesting that Europe should bear the majority of the financial burden.During a meeting with Trump, Putin reportedly identified China as a potential guarantor. Currently, ten European countries are reportedly prepared to deploy military forces to Ukraine based on these security guarantees, according to Bloomberg.
Lavrov’s Recent Statements and Future prospects
Lavrov’s recent comments underscore russia’s continued insistence on a central role in shaping Ukraine’s future security landscape. He emphasized the need for ”reliable” guarantees, framing the 2022 Istanbul proposal as a model.While Lavrov also indicated a willingness to discuss further contacts between Russia and Ukraine, it remains unclear weather President Putin is prepared to meet with President Zelenskyy. Moscow has suggested a potential increase in the level of delegations involved in any future talks,but this offer has not yet been accepted.
