Kremlin 'satisfied' with US opposition to Ukraine's NATO membership

U.S. statements ruling out Ukraine's membership in NATO align with Russia's views and "satisfy" Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on April 21, Interfax news agency reported.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that a ban on Kyiv joining the alliance was part of a ceasefire proposal presented by U.S. officials to Ukraine during Paris talks last week.

The news underscored the Trump administration's already voiced opposition to Ukraine's membership.

"We have heard from Washington at various levels that Ukraine's membership in NATO is out of the question," Peskov said.

"Of course, this is something that satisfies us and aligns with our position that Ukraine should not be a NATO member," the spokesperson added.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly echoed Moscow's narrative that Ukraine's efforts to join the alliance have been one of the root causes of the full-scale invasion.

Russian aggression against Ukraine began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas, a time when Kyiv had little prospects of joining the alliance in the near future.

Ukraine applied for NATO membership in September 2022, months after the outbreak of the full-scale war. The country has yet to receive a formal invitation, as the 32 members have struggled to reach a consensus.

"NATO isn’t on the table," said U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg in an interview with Fox News on April 20.

Ukraine has previously rejected restrictions on joining international alliances and organizations—namely, NATO and the EU—as part of a potential peace deal.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte recently said that Kyiv's path toward membership remains "irreversible" — as agreed during a NATO summit in 2024 — but added that the matter would not be part of an eventual peace settlement.

The Wall Street Journal also reported that the U.S. recognizing the Russian annexation of Crimea could potentially be part of a peace deal.

Asked about the topic, Peskov said that the path toward a "peaceful resolution cannot and should not take place in the public arena."

Kyiv has repeatedly rejected recognizing Russian occupation in any peace deal.

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The Kyiv IndependentCarl Bildt