Security Guarantees for Russia Are Impossible while the Genocide of Ukrainians Is Going On

Kyiv: Monitoring Desk – Ukrainian and most of European observers are criticizing the French President E. Macron, who traditionally communicates closely with Putin by phone and has visited the Kremlin several times, noted that Russia should receive security guarantees. Prior to the full-scale invasion on February 24, Putin constantly repeated the narrative of security guarantees for Russia that meant effectively reducing NATO’s presence on the European continent. This thesis is another Russia’s attempt to obtain certain political benefits without any concessions from its side.

Russia is waging a full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine – and even in such a situation, Russian officials dare to demand certain concessions from the West. In particular, the Russian side is again starting to reiterate narratives about “security guarantees”: until February 24, this narrative was voiced together with the thesis about Putin’s “red lines”. In other words, this meant the withdrawal of NATO to the borders of 1997 and the actual triumph of Russian geopolitical ambitions.

No agreements with Russia are worth the paper they are written on. This is an axiom. Before the full-scale invasion, the Kremlin assured that it was not going to attack Ukraine. Putin wants to incline Europe to at least some negotiations and concessions due to the critical weakening of the Russian army..

Also, the requirement to provide “security guarantees” is part of Russian information operations. In this way, the Kremlin wants to legally consolidate its “fear” of NATO and in the future de jure demand from the West compliance with certain obligations.

Security guarantees for Russia cannot be created at the expense of Ukraine’s security. In fact, the whole world should receive security guarantees against Russian aggression. In conditions where any post-Soviet country is the object of a Russian military invasion (an example is Ukraine), the Kremlin’s words about providing it with security guarantees are a geopolitical oxymoron. Russia understands only one thing – a force.

As long as Putin has the resources, he will fight against the whole world, and no guarantees will stop him. The best guarantee of peace in Europe is a strong Ukraine, which is capable of becoming the EU eastern outpost. The Armed Forces must receive the most advanced weapons in order to expel the invaders from their territory and prevent the repetition of Russian aggression in the future.