Russia: "US Must Stop Supplying Weapons to Ukraine and NATO Should Withdraw from Central and Eastern Europe"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Russia has reiterated that the United States and Western countries must first halt arms supplies to Ukraine and withdraw NATO troops and weapons from Central and Eastern Europe. It rejected proposals for troop withdrawals from the Ukrainian border region aimed at easing tensions, stating that such demands cannot be accepted until their conditions are met.

According to Russian local media including TASS on the 17th (local time), the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed its position regarding the security negotiation response letter previously sent by the United States. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated, "To ease tensions around Ukraine, the U.S. must stop supplying weapons to Ukraine and withdraw all Western military advisers and instructors deployed there," adding, "NATO countries should not conduct any joint exercises with the Ukrainian government forces, and all foreign weapons previously supplied to Ukraine must be withdrawn from Ukrainian territory."

Regarding Ukraine, it said, "The West must pressure Ukraine to implement the 'Minsk Agreement' signed to resolve the conflict between government forces and separatist rebels in the eastern Donbas region," placing responsibility for the fighting that began in Donbas on Ukraine. Since the 17th, exchanges of artillery fire have continued between Ukrainian government forces and the pro-Russian separatist forces of the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic in the Donbas region, with both sides claiming they were attacked first.

The Russian Foreign Ministry further emphasized that NATO's additional accession of Ukraine and other Eastern European countries must be fundamentally blocked, NATO base construction within former Soviet territories must be abandoned, and NATO military assets in Central and Eastern Europe must be withdrawn. It also reiterated, "Russia will not invade Ukraine, nor does it have such plans."

However, it firmly rejected the demand for a full troop withdrawal from the Ukrainian border region, which the U.S. and the West continue to request for military de-escalation. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated, "Ultimatums demanding troop withdrawals from certain areas of Russian territory under the threat of harsh sanctions are unacceptable and undermine prospects for U.S.-Russia agreements."

Russia warned, "If the U.S. does not show readiness to agree on firm and legally binding security guarantees for our security from the U.S. and its allies, Russia will have no choice but to respond, including by implementing military and technical measures."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.