Kremlin ‘satisfied’ with US position ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine

ISTANBUL

The Kremlin on Monday said it is “satisfied” with the US administration’s position ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine.

“We have heard from Washington at various levels that Ukraine’s membership in NATO is out of the question. This is something that satisfies us and coincides with our position,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow.

Kyiv should have no prospect of integration with the military alliance, Peskov said, adding that Ukrainian membership in NATO would be a threat to Russia’s national interests.

“And this is one of the root causes of the conflict (in Ukraine),” he added.

Peskov also responded to US President Donald Trump’s comments expressing hope that Russia and Ukraine could reach an agreement this week, saying Moscow remains open to finding a settlement to the ongoing war.

He declined to give a timeframe for a possible resolution.

Trump said Sunday that he hopes both countries will reach a deal this week to end the conflict, as a 30-hour Easter ceasefire, which began Saturday at 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500GMT), expired without an extension.

Both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of violating the ceasefire while it was in effect.

Since Trump’s inauguration in January, the US has stepped up diplomatic efforts to end the more than three-year war, holding direct talks with both Moscow and Kyiv.

On Friday, Trump said talks between Ukraine and Russia were “coming to a head” but warned the US would drop ceasefire efforts if “one of the two parties makes it very difficult.”