US proposes reviving NATO-Russia Council, Bloomberg reports
The United States is proposing to revive the NATO-Russia Council as part of a broader American plan to end the war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on May 15, citing unnamed sources.
In April, Axios reported that U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan also included Washington's de jure recognition of Russia's control over occupied Crimea, along with de facto recognition of its occupation of other Ukrainian territories, offering sanctions relief, and freezing the war along current front lines.
The proposal to revive the NATO-Russia Council, a forum for military and political dialogue frozen since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, is a new part added to the American proposal, according to Bloomberg.
The NATO-Russia Council (NRC) was created in 2002 to promote cooperation and dialogue between NATO and Russia. Originally designed as a forum where NATO members and Russia could work as equal partners on shared security issues, the NRC has not convened since January 2022.
While formal cooperation was suspended after Russia's 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea, the council remained a key channel for communication, primarily on Ukraine, until ties were effectively severed following the 2022 invasion.
Previously, Ukraine and its European allies have ruled out discussing concessions before the halt of hostilities. Their peace plan demands a full and unconditional ceasefire on land, at sea, and in the air before any talks about territorial issues can begin. It also calls for strong U.S.-backed security guarantees.
The proposal rejects any immediate territorial concessions and insists that sanctions on Russia should only be lifted after a lasting peace is achieved.
Russia continues pushing its maximalist demands, insisting that any peace deal must include a permanent ban on Ukraine's NATO membership, territorial losses, demilitarization of the country, and constitutional changes reinstating the role of the Russian language, culture, and religious organizations.
On May 15, Ukraine and Russia are expected to renew their peace talks. Zelensky agreed to join negotiations in Istanbul and invited Russian President Vladimir Putin for a face-to-face meeting. The Russian leader declined to attend and appointed his aide, Vladimir Medinsky, to lead the talks.
During a press conference in Ankara, after meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Zelensky confirmed that the Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will meet the Russian delegation in Istanbul either on May 15 or 16.
Read also: Russia threatens to 'neutralize' all NATO efforts against Moscow amid alliance drills in Lithuania
We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
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