The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reached this conclusion after analyzing a recent statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.Experts believe Moscow is trying to impose its demands in the negotiation process to weaken Ukraine’s defense capabilities by limiting its military development, cooperation with partners, and access to international aid. Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Russia would not allow NATO troops to be present in Ukraine under any security guarantees.At the same time, European leaders emphasized that no peace agreement can restrict the Ukrainian Armed Forces or their cooperation with other countries, and Russia has no veto over Ukraine’s accession to the European Union or NATO.The Kremlin is effectively insisting on a return to the 2022 Istanbul format, which prohibited Ukraine from joining NATO, restricted its army, and made it dependent on Russia’s veto over any military assistance. The draft at the time treated Russia as a “security guarantor” rather than an aggressor, effectively allowing Moscow and its allies to block any international support for Kyiv in the event of a new attack, analysts noted.The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) stressed that Russia aims to retain the ability to dictate the terms of Ukraine’s future security, depriving it of the right to self-defense and cooperation with partners, while the West rejects such demands as unacceptable.On August 20, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia, China, and the West should serve as security guarantors for Ukraine.