**Russia Open to Peace Deal in Ukraine**
Russia is willing to accept unarmed observers and civilian missions in Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal. This was stated by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko on March 16.
**Key Points**
* A peace treaty may include unarmed observers, a civilian mission to monitor the agreement, or guarantee mechanisms.
* Kyiv has said that strong security guarantees are essential for any peace agreement.
* Ukraine’s neutrality and non-membership in NATO are seen as crucial parts of any agreement by Russia.
**International Involvement**
The deployment of international peacekeeping forces in Ukraine has been considered as one possible option. However, Russia sees this as unacceptable.
* U.S. President Donald Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would allow European peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of a deal.
* Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has publicly rejected the idea.
* French President Emmanuel Macron declared that Kyiv does not need Russia’s approval to invite peacekeeping troops into its territory.
**Background**
Ukraine officially applied to join NATO in September 2022. While the alliance declared that Ukraine’s path to membership is “irreversible,” no formal invitation has been extended.
