Russia has raised the possibility of signing separate non-aggression agreements with individual NATO member states, a senior Russian diplomat said on Wednesday, presenting the idea as part of discussions about a future European security arrangement.
FAKTA
- Who: Alexey Drobinin, a senior diplomat at Russia’s Foreign Ministry
- What: Three possible approaches to security commitments, including bilateral non-aggression pacts with individual NATO members
- When and where: Outlined on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, at a security conference in Moscow
- Context: The proposal was linked to talks on a new European security architecture, alongside efforts to end the war in Ukraine
- Status: Ideas only — no agreements have been signed, no countries have been named, and no response from NATO has been reported
Three Options for Russia-NATO Non-Aggression Pacts
Speaking at the conference, Drobinin set out three possible approaches to building security commitments between states. The first involves collective defence alliances or bilateral mutual assistance agreements, and he cited Russia’s existing arrangements with Belarus and North Korea as examples of that approach.
The second possibility involves political agreements under which countries promise not to support each other’s adversaries in the event of aggression. Drobinin pointed to Russia’s agreement with Iran as an example of this kind of arrangement.
The third option, and the one that drew the most attention, involves bilateral mutual non-aggression pacts. “For example, agreements of this kind could be reached, among other things, with individual NATO member states, which would then receive, for instance, additional individual security guarantees from the Russian Federation,” Drobinin told the conference, according to video of his speech.
A Bilateral Track Alongside the Alliance
The proposal would allow Moscow to negotiate directly with individual members rather than seeking a single arrangement with NATO as a whole. It was presented in the context of a new security architecture for Europe being discussed as part of the Ukraine peace process, in which Russia’s chief negotiator is Vladimir Medinsky. United States-mediated discussions between Russian and Ukrainian officials have meanwhile been continuing in Abu Dhabi, with major differences still to be bridged over territory and the terms of any settlement.
For more coverage of European affairs, visit Watan News.
Proposals, Not Agreements
Drobinin presented the options as possible approaches rather than finished deals. No timetable was given, no member state was named publicly, and there has been no reported public response from NATO or any of its members. Whether the idea advances will depend on the wider peace discussions and on how alliance members respond to the suggestion of separate, bilateral security guarantees from Moscow.
