Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow must participate in any future system of security guarantees for Ukraine, warning that negotiations conducted without Russia would be “a road to nowhere” and “a utopia.” Speaking to reporters after meetings in Amman on 20 August, Lavrov argued that collective security in Europe cannot be discussed if one of the region’s largest military powers is excluded. Lavrov added that any guarantees for Kyiv should be provided "on an equal basis" by all permanent members of the UN Security Council, listing China, the United States, the United Kingdom and France alongside Russia. He pointed to draft principles discussed during the Istanbul talks in 2022—under which Ukraine would adopt neutrality and outside powers would act as guarantors—as the only workable foundation for a durable agreement. While declaring that Moscow is ready for “honest” discussions, the minister questioned the “legitimacy” of the Ukrainian signatory to any accord and downplayed prospects for an imminent summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. He also cautioned that revisiting proposals that differ materially from the 2022 framework would be futile. Lavrov’s stance underscores the gap between Russia and NATO countries, which are drafting a package of assurances intended to help Ukraine deter future aggression. Western officials have signalled that giving Moscow a formal role would amount to granting it a veto over Kyiv’s defence arrangements, complicating efforts to establish a post-war security architecture.