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 "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.

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 response comes after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko criticized NATO's 2008 Bucharest Summit declaration, calling it "catastrophic for European security."

The former NATO secretary general and the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine outlined to Euronews ways to reach a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. View on euronews

Aleksandr Grushko, the deputy head of Russian diplomacy, highlighted the "key element of potential agreements" concerning the war's end in Ukraine. Many of the pieces of information provided by Russian media or representatives of the authorities are part of propaganda.