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".

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.

Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed Trump’s return as president, saying Ukraine looks forward to working with him. Russia’s casualties mounted to a record high of 434,000 in 2024, with 150,000 deaths, Ukraine’s commander in chief of the armed forces said. The toll is higher than the previous two years combined, he said.

"The intervention of NATO troops in Ukraine is categorically unacceptable for Russia, it will turn into uncontrolled escalation," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova claimed.

"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.

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.