NATO has been ramping up its forces along its eastern flank with Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, deploying thousands of troops and equipment to deter Moscow from expanding its war into the territory of any of the organization’s 32 member countries.

Russia on Thursday rejected the idea of NATO countries sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire in the war with Russia, saying such a move would threaten to cause an "uncontrollable escalation".

The former Secretary General of NATO and the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine discussed ways to reach a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. View on euronews

Moscow sees a ban on Ukraine’s entry to NATO as a key condition in resolving the Russia-Ukraine war, the pro-Kremlin news agency Interfax reported on Jan. 24, citing Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko has said that one of the key elements to end the Russian-Ukrainian war is the cancellation of NATO's promise of Ukraine's future accession, made at the Bucharest summit in 2008.

"Aw shucks, North Korea’s ally issuing ultimatums to NATO. Utter bulls**t," Tykhyi said during a briefing, according to the Foreign Ministry’s press service. “Moscow has no say here. Russia is waging an aggressive war in Europe.

Aleksandr Grushko, the Deputy Head of Russian Diplomacy, highlighted the "key element of potential agreements" regarding ending the war in Ukraine. Many pieces of information provided by Russian media or authoritative representatives are elements of propaganda.

Deploying a NATO peacekeeping contingent to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire in the war with Russia could lead to "uncontrolled escalation," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova claimed on Jan.

Russia "will strive to make this decision part of the Alliance's policy," the state-controlled news agency quotes the diplomat as saying. Grushko described it as "one of the key elements of a possible agreement" and a component "related to eliminating the root causes" of Russia's war against Ukraine.