Image Credentials: Image Title: Russia Labels Ukraine Security Guarantees as “Guarantees of Danger” for Europe Source: (Sora.ChatGpt) Date: September 2025. Attribution: Created using AI-generated imagery (Sora.ChatGpt), this does not depict a real-world scene.
By Staff Writer | Open Chronicle with Agencies
A sharp diplomatic clash has emerged over plans by Western nations to provide security guarantees to Ukraine, with Russia condemning the move as a direct threat to European stability.
The spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, denounced the proposed guarantees on Thursday, stating they are “absolutely unacceptable” to Moscow. She argued that the assurances being prepared by Ukraine’s allies are not about protecting Ukraine but represent “guarantees of danger for the European continent.” Zakharova made these remarks to journalists at an economic forum in Vladivostok, in Russia’s Far East.
These comments come in direct response to French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement a day earlier. After meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris, Macron declared that European countries are ready to provide the security guarantees requested by Kiev.
“Europe is present, for the first time, with this level of commitment and intensity,” Macron stated, highlighting the unprecedented nature of the support.
The issue is set to be formally discussed at a meeting of the Coalition of Wills, a group of approximately 30 allied nations, including Portugal, co-presided by France and the United Kingdom. According to Macron, the “preparatory work is complete” and was developed in an “extremely confidential” manner. A key outstanding question, he noted, is “determining the sincerity of Russia and its successive commitments” regarding peace.
The proposed guarantees are intended to serve as a deterrent against future Russian aggression, offering Ukraine protection in the event of a peace agreement. However, President Zelensky expressed skepticism about Moscow’s intentions, noting he has not seen “any sign” that Russia genuinely wants to end the invasion it launched in February 2022.
Zelensky voiced confidence that Europe and the United States would help Kiev “increase pressure on Russia to move towards a diplomatic solution.” This pressure could include new sanctions against Moscow.
The meeting is also expected to feature a conversation between the leaders and former U.S. President Donald Trump, underscoring the international dimension of the discussions.
After more than three and a half years of war, peace proposals have repeatedly failed. Russian President Vladimir Putin demands that Ukraine cede occupied territories, renounce Western support, and abandon its ambition to join NATO, conditions Kiev finds unacceptable. Ukraine, in turn, insists on an immediate ceasefire as a starting point for any peace talks, which must be backed by ironclad security guarantees from its allies.
The fundamental disagreement sets the stage for a protracted stalemate, with the West’s plans to arm Ukraine with security assurances being met not with compromise from Moscow, but with a stark warning of heightened danger for all of Europe.