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Russia’s international minister claims that NATO needs to tug Ukraine into the alliance, amid escalating tensions over NATO enlargement and fears that Russia is making ready to invade Ukraine.
In feedback on state tv Sunday, Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov additionally challenged NATO’s declare to be a purely defensive construction.
Russia’s massing of an estimated 100,000 troops close to the border with Ukraine has introduced more and more robust warnings from the West that Moscow intends to invade. Russia in flip calls for that NATO promise by no means to permit Ukraine to affix the alliance, and to cease the deployment of NATO weapons close to Russian borders and roll again its forces from Japanese Europe.
The pinnacle of Russia’s Safety Council, Nikolai Patrushev, on Sunday rejected Western warnings a couple of deliberate invasion.
“Presently, they’re saying that Russia threatens Ukraine — that is fully ridiculous,” he was quoted as saying by state information company Tass. “We do not need battle and we do not want it in any respect.”
Russia has lengthy resented NATO’s granting membership to international locations that have been as soon as a part of the Soviet Union or have been in its sphere of affect as members of the Warsaw Pact.
NATO “has already come near Ukraine. Additionally they wish to drag this nation there,” Lavrov mentioned. “Though everybody understands that Ukraine shouldn’t be prepared and will make no contribution to strengthening NATO safety.”
Ukraine has sought NATO membership for years, however any prospects of becoming a member of seem far off because the nation struggles to search out political stability and assault corruption.
Lavrov additionally underlined Russia’s competition that NATO enlargement is a menace as a result of it has engaged in offensive actions exterior its member international locations.
“It’s tough to name it defensive. Don’t forget that they bombed Yugoslavia for nearly three months, invaded Libya, violating the U.N. Safety Council decision, and the way they behaved in Afghanistan,” he mentioned.
The U.S. and NATO has formally rejected Russia’s calls for about halting NATO enlargement, though Washington outlined areas the place discussions are doable, providing hope that there might be a solution to keep away from battle.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has made no public remarks in regards to the Western response. Lavrov has mentioned it leaves little likelihood for reaching settlement, although he additionally says Russia would not need battle.
U.S. Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin mentioned Friday that Putin might use any portion of his pressure to grab Ukrainian cities and “important territories” or to hold out “coercive acts or provocative political acts” like the popularity of breakaway territories inside Ukraine.
Two territories in japanese Ukraine have been below the management of Russia-backed rebels since 2014, after Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine.
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