According to him, Russia "will strive to ensure that this decision becomes the policy of the Alliance itself."
"For us, this is one of the key elements in potentially reaching an agreement regarding the conflict in Ukraine; it is related to addressing the root causes of this conflict. We will seek not only solid international legal guarantees that would completely exclude Ukraine's membership in NATO but will also insist that this becomes the policy of the Alliance itself," the Deputy Minister stated.
He emphasized that Ukraine's potential membership in NATO "hinders the achievement of peace in Ukraine and, in a broader sense, the establishment of at least some security architecture."
The Deputy Minister described the decision from the Bucharest NATO summit as "catastrophic for European security," where the Alliance's intention to accept Ukraine and Georgia was affirmed at the highest level, according to media reports.
"The non-cancellation of this wording will create ambiguity, which is absolutely unacceptable for us when we discuss the necessity of achieving a viable, sustainable, and solid resolution to the conflict in Ukraine and around it," Grushko said.