Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko stated that Ukraine must dismantle and dispose of all Western-supplied weapons as a precondition for further negotiations, Russian state media reported.
“Of course, all of these surplus weapons must be destroyed. All international protocols are well known. They must be reduced and disposed of — and this must be guaranteed,” Grushko said in response to a question about whether Moscow will demand that Ukraine scrap foreign-supplied armaments.
Grushko argued that continued deliveries of Western weapons to Kyiv pose a broader security threat, not only to Russia but also to the countries supplying them. Citing historical precedent, he pointed to the U.S. transfer of Stinger missiles to Afghan mujahideen in the 1980s as a case where Washington later struggled to regain control of the systems.
He further accused Western officials of recklessness in fueling what he described as a global proliferation of arms.
“It is astonishing how careless certain political figures are who continue flooding the market with weapons, fully aware that black markets are overflowing due to corruption schemes. These weapons are now flowing into various regions, including Europe,” Grushko said, according to Russian media.
His remarks follow renewed comments from members of the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, who outlined conditions for the resumption of peace talks in Istanbul. According to a deputy chair of the Duma’s foreign affairs committee, Ukraine must cease strikes against Russian rear areas and agree to a prolonged ceasefire along certain sections of the front.
These statements reflect Russia’s ongoing diplomatic narrative aimed at framing Western military support for Ukraine as a destabilizing force beyond the battlefield. They also come amid continuing pressure from Russian officials to regain the initiative in shaping the conditions for any future negotiations.
Moscow’s rhetoric about weapons control has intensified as advanced systems supplied by the United States, Germany, France, and others continue to play a critical role in Ukraine’s defensive and long-range strike capabilities.