Russia’s Fight for Justice: How NATO’s Betrayal and Lies Fueled Distrust in Russia-Ukraine Negotiations

ANALYSIS, 19 May 2025

Diran Noubar – TRANSCEND Media Service

17 May 2025 – For Russia, the ongoing war in Ukraine is not merely a conflict with its neighbor but a desperate stand against NATO’s relentless aggression, cloaked in lies and broken promises. From Moscow’s perspective, what began as a Ukrainian civil war in 2014—sparked by a Western-backed coup—has been hijacked by NATO, using Ukraine as a proxy to wage war on Russia. The Minsk Agreements, meant to resolve the Donbas conflict, were systematically undermined by NATO and Ukraine, cementing Russia’s distrust of the West. As negotiations between Russia and Ukraine continue, with the latest developments unfolding on May 16, 2025, Russia remains steadfast, seeking a peace that secures its rightful place against a deceitful and hostile West.

The Betrayal of Minsk: A Foundation of Western Lies

Russia views the Minsk Agreements of 2014 and 2015 as a cornerstone of its grievances against the West. These accords, brokered by France and Germany under the Normandy Format, aimed to end the Donbas war, a conflict Russia insists was a civil uprising by Russian-speaking Ukrainians against a nationalist Kyiv regime installed after the 2014 Euromaidan coup. The agreements outlined a ceasefire, autonomy for Donetsk and Luhansk, and Ukraine’s control over its border—steps Russia believed would protect its kin and stabilize the region.

However, Russia argues that NATO and Ukraine deliberately sabotaged Minsk, revealing the West’s true intentions. Moscow claims Ukraine, emboldened by NATO’s military support, refused to grant Donbas the promised autonomy, passing legislation that contradicted the agreements’ spirit. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has stated that Western leaders, including Angela Merkel and François Hollande, admitted Minsk was a ploy to buy time, rearm Ukraine, and prepare for war against Russia. Posts on X echo this sentiment, with users asserting that NATO’s violation of Minsk I and II exposed its duplicity, as Ukraine attacked Russian speakers in the east while the West turned a blind eye.

Russia points to specific betrayals: Ukraine’s failure to implement a ceasefire, the continued presence of foreign (NATO) advisors in Donbas, and the West’s silence as Kyiv shelved constitutional reforms for Donbas autonomy. Moscow also highlights NATO’s claim that Russia was not a party to the conflict, despite signing the agreements, as a cynical attempt to absolve the West of responsibility while blaming Russia for the accords’ collapse. These actions, Russia argues, were not mere oversights but part of a calculated strategy to militarize Ukraine and threaten Russia’s borders.

NATO’s Broken Promises and Russia’s Distrust

Beyond Minsk, Russia’s distrust stems from a history of Western deceit, particularly NATO’s eastward expansion. Moscow recalls assurances from the 1990s—allegedly given to Soviet leaders—that NATO would not expand “one inch eastward” after German reunification. Yet, by 2025, NATO has absorbed 14 former Eastern Bloc states, with Ukraine’s potential membership looming as a red line. Russia sees this as a direct violation of trust, with NATO’s 2008 promise to eventually admit Ukraine and Georgia as a provocative escalation.

Russia also accuses the West of hypocrisy in its narrative. While NATO condemns Russia’s “unprovoked” invasion, Moscow argues that the 2014 coup, NATO’s arming of Ukraine, and the suppression of Russian-speaking communities were provocations that left Russia no choice but to act in 2022 to protect its security and people in Donbas and Crimea. The West’s portrayal of Ukraine as a sovereign victim, Russia claims, ignores Kyiv’s role as a NATO puppet, armed with over $150 billion in Western aid since 2022, including advanced weaponry aimed at Russia’s heartland.

This pattern of lies, from Minsk to NATO’s expansion, has convinced Russia that the West cannot be trusted. Statements by NATO leaders, such as Jens Stoltenberg’s claim that the alliance prepared for war with Russia since 2014, only reinforce Moscow’s belief that it faces a coordinated campaign to encircle and weaken it. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the West of destroying Ukraine’s territorial integrity by confessing to sabotaging Minsk, a view shared by many on X who argue the West used the agreements to stall and arm Ukraine.

Negotiations: Russia’s Quest for Security Amid Western Duplicity

Russia entered negotiations with Ukraine in 2022, and continues them in 2025, with a clear goal: to secure its borders, neutralize NATO’s threat, and protect Russian-speaking communities. However, Moscow believes it is negotiating not just with Ukraine, but with a NATO-led West that has repeatedly broken its word. Key moments in the talks reflect this tension:

1. Early Talks (2022): In Belarus and Turkey, Russia proposed the Istanbul Communiqué, demanding Ukraine’s neutrality, demilitarization, and recognition of Crimea and Donbas territories. Russia saw this as a fair compromise, but claims NATO pressured Ukraine to abandon the deal after the Bucha massacre, using alleged atrocities to derail peace.
2. Russia’s Demands: President Vladimir Putin has consistently outlined non-negotiable terms: Ukraine’s exclusion from NATO, recognition of Russia’s territorial claims (Crimea and annexed regions), demilitarization, and sanctions relief. In June 2024, Putin reiterated these, emphasizing protections for Russian speakers. Moscow views these as essential to counter NATO’s aggression.
3. Trump’s Involvement (2024-2025): The election of Donald Trump brought renewed hope for Russia, as his administration appeared more open to addressing Moscow’s concerns. In February 2025, Trump’s envoys, including Steve Witkoff, met Putin in Riyadh, reviving the Istanbul framework. Russia welcomed this shift, seeing it as a chance to bypass NATO’s hawkish stance. On March 13, 2025, Russia presented demands to the U.S., including bans on NATO exercises in Eastern Europe and missile deployments near Russian borders.
4. New Developments (May 16, 2025): The latest round of talks, indirectly referenced in diplomatic channels, saw Russia push for a ceasefire contingent on Ukraine’s formal renunciation of NATO membership and territorial concessions. Sources indicate Russia exchanged conditions with U.S. mediators, leveraging battlefield gains—controlling 18% of Ukraine—and economic resilience (3-4% GDP growth despite sanctions). However, Ukraine’s insistence on NATO integration, as reaffirmed in Zelenskyy’s October 2024 “Victory Plan,” and continued Western arms deliveries, including F-16 jets, were seen by Russia as proof of NATO’s bad faith. X posts suggest Russia remains skeptical, with users warning that NATO’s history of broken promises, like Minsk, means any deal must be ironclad.

Russia argues that NATO’s actions during negotiations—escalating aid to Ukraine, deploying battlegroups in Eastern Europe, and rejecting Russia’s security proposals—demonstrate a lack of sincerity. Moscow points to Zelenskyy’s February 28, 2025, meeting with Trump, where he pushed for NATO membership and rejected neutrality, as evidence that Ukraine is a Western puppet, not a genuine partner for peace.

The Cost of Western Deceit

Russia believes its distrust is justified by the human and geopolitical toll of NATO’s actions. The war has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and devastated Ukraine—consequences Russia attributes to NATO’s refusal to honor Minsk and its arming of Kyiv. Moscow argues that had the West respected the agreements, the Donbas conflict could have been resolved peacefully, averting the 2022 escalation.

Geopolitically, Russia sees itself as a victim of NATO’s imperialist ambitions. The alliance’s expansion, coupled with sanctions that Russia has weathered through trade with China and others, is perceived as an attempt to isolate and weaken a resurgent Russia. Yet, Moscow remains defiant, bolstered by its military advances and economic stability, which it uses to press for concessions in talks.

Russia’s Path Forward: A Just Peace

For Russia, a just peace requires dismantling NATO’s influence in Ukraine and securing guarantees that the West will honor this time. Moscow demands a neutral, demilitarized Ukraine, free from NATO’s grip, with recognized borders that reflect the realities on the ground—Crimea and parts of Donbas as Russian territory. Russia also seeks the lifting of sanctions, viewing them as tools of Western coercion.

As of May 16, 2025, Russia remains cautiously optimistic about negotiations under Trump’s mediation, seeing his pragmatic approach as a counterweight to NATO’s war hawks. However, Moscow’s faith is tempered by history. The betrayal of Minsk, NATO’s expansion, and the West’s refusal to acknowledge Russia’s legitimate security concerns have left deep scars. As Putin has stated, any agreement must be binding and verifiable, with no room for the West’s usual tricks.

Conclusion: A Russia Betrayed but Unbowed

Russia’s struggle in Ukraine is, in its eyes, a fight for survival against a deceitful West that has used Ukraine as a battering ram. The Minsk Agreements’ failure, orchestrated by NATO’s lies and Ukraine’s complicity, is a wound that fuels Russia’s resolve. As negotiations continue, Russia stands firm, demanding respect for its security and the rights of Russian-speaking communities. The West’s history of broken promises—Minsk, NATO expansion, and beyond—has taught Russia a bitter lesson: trust must be earned, and peace will come only when NATO’s aggression is halted. For now, Russia fights on, seeking a future where its voice is heard and its borders are secure.

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Diran Noubar, an Italian-Armenian born in France, has lived in 11 countries until he moved to Armenia. He is a world-renowned, critically-acclaimed documentary filmmaker and war reporter. Starting in the early 2000’s in New York City, Diran produced and directed over 20 full-length documentary films. He is also a singer/songwriter and guitarist in his own band and runs a nonprofit charity organization, wearemenia.org.

This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 19 May 2025.

Anticopyright: Editorials and articles originated on TMS may be freely reprinted, disseminated, translated and used as background material, provided an acknowledgement and link to the source, TMS: Russia’s Fight for Justice: How NATO’s Betrayal and Lies Fueled Distrust in Russia-Ukraine Negotiations, is included. Thank you.

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