Russia Attacks US-Owned Factory In Ukraine, While Insisting It Has Veto Power Over Any 'Security Guarantees'
Now nearly a week out from last Friday's historic Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, the White House has had to temper its positive predictions on the peace process, after prematurely touting that a Putin and Zelensky bilateral meeting was on the horizon. By Wednesday the Kremlin had made it clear this is not yet the case.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov issued some non-committal statements, watering down what appeared an already vague commitment. A future direct meeting with the Ukrainian leader - a president which Moscow previously dubbed illegitimate - would have to be prepared "gradually… starting with the expert level and thereafter going through all the required steps."
A separate Russian official has stated that "it shouldn't be a meeting for the sake of a meeting" - highlighting that despite Trump's strong diplomatic efforts, Russia remains 'open' but doesn't consider the warring sides to have bridged key major gaps on peace terms just yet.
On Thursday The Wall Street Journal underscored that there's yet another key divide - the question of future security guarantees and how they will be monitored or implemented:
Russia warned on Wednesday that it should effectively hold veto power over any action to assist Ukraine after a peace deal is reached, rendering planned Western security guarantees for Kyiv moot and delivering a setback to negotiations championed by President Trump.
…Lavrov’s insistence that Russia must have a say in how any security guarantees for Ukraine would be enacted contradicted the Trump administration's assertion that Putin agreed to European and U.S. security guarantees at the Alaska summit on Friday.
Lavrov’s remarks were a potent sign that Moscow’s maximalist demands in the war haven’t shifted despite a surge in diplomatic engagement in recent days. Western security assurances to deter against future Russian invasions are key to getting Ukraine to sign on to a peace deal.
Russia has never wavered on insisting that NATO or Western forces never be allowed to patrol or have a presence in Ukraine. Moscow's war justification from the beginning has been focused on the question of NATO expansion, and demanding permanent Ukrainian neutrality.
Strangely, while President Trump has this week assured Russia of 'no US boots on the ground' - the White House spokesperson at the same time suggested there could be some kind of pledged US or Western air support as part of future security guarantees. But the messaging has been contradictory as at the same time Trump has been pledging 'minimal' American involvement in any future security guarantees for Ukraine.
Moscow will likely present the targeted Mukachevo plant as military or 'dual use' in nature…
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/russia-attacks-us-owned-factory-ukraine-while-insisting-it-has-veto-power-over-any