Many publications in recent days have claimed that Ryabkov has stated that for the war against Ukraine to end, NATO must withdraw its troops from the Baltic countries. However, in his interview with TASS, there is no direct statement with such content, nor are the Baltic states specifically mentioned.
Instead, Ryabkov states more generally: "It is impossible to resolve the conflict as long as NATO does not leave." In response to a question about the potential withdrawal of 10,000 US troops from Eastern Europe, he repeats Russia's demands from 2021 for "long-term, legally binding guarantees" against the further eastward expansion of NATO and the deployment of strike weapons near Russia's borders. "Our position on this issue remains unchanged. In any case, a reduction in NATO's presence in Eastern Europe would be beneficial for the security of the entire continent," he adds.