Russia has long identified Kievs aspirations to join the bloc as among the key causes of the conflict

NATO membership for Kiev is off the table in efforts undertaken by the US and Russia to achieve peace in the Ukraine conflict, the bloc's Secretary General Mark Rutte has confirmed. Speaking on Bloomberg TV on Friday following his meeting with US President Donald Trump, Rutte said any security guarantees for Kiev should be discussed after a peace deal or a ceasefire are in place.

Ukraine has long demanded a seat within NATO as a security guarantee for ending the conflict with Russia. Moscow, however, has cited Kiev's NATO ambitions as being among the root causes of the conflict in the first place, and has called for Ukraine's neutrality as a foundation for any settlement.

Asked by Bloomberg host Annmarie Hordern whether Trump indicated any intention to provide Kiev with security guarantees in his quest to end the conflict, Rutte deflected, saying that they would be needed to "keep a peace deal," meaning it is premature to discuss them with no deal in place. He replied in the affirmative when the journalist specifically asked whether Trump had already taken the question of Ukraine joining NATO off the table.

Rutte added that Trump wants the "peace to be lasting and durable," indicating that some other offers will be made to Ukraine to persuade it to agree to a ceasefire. However, he ruled out official NATO involvement in the process.

"There are many ways to [provide security guarantees]... But for NATO to be as NATO involved would be difficult. NATO will maybe always advise," he stated.

"Before you get into too much detail in terms of how to maintain the peace, you first need to have the deal and it is a step-by-step approach," Rutte noted, adding that he is optimistic that a deal could be in place this year.

Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday as part of the ongoing efforts to negotiate a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. Witkoff arrived in Moscow to convey more detailed information about this week's US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia, which ended with Kiev agreeing to a proposed 30-day ceasefire with Russia.

The exact details of the meeting between Putin and Witkoff have not been made public, but speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the Russian leader stated that he was ready to discuss Trump's ceasefire proposal.

(RT.com)