Russia seeks security guarantees in Ukraine peace deal: official

MOSCOW, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Russia will demand concrete security guarantees from the United States and NATO as part of any agreement on Ukraine, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said in an interview with local media on Sunday.

Ukraine's neutral status and NATO's rejection of Ukraine's membership must be central to these guarantees, said Grushko.

Since 2019, the number of military contingents on NATO's eastern flank has doubled, posing a significant threat to Russia, he said, adding that the ongoing rearmament of European countries adds to Moscow's security concerns.

He said the deployment of peacekeepers to Ukraine would only be feasible if both parties to the conflict deem it necessary.

Moscow remains open to separate negotiations with the European Union if Brussels signals a willingness to engage, he added. ■