Russia cannot prevent Ukraine from joining NATO but can minimise consequences: Kremlin

Amid tensions between Moscow and Kyiv, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Sunday, 24 October, said that Russia cannot prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, but it is possible to minimise the consequences of such steps. While speaking to the Russian state broadcaster, Rossiya 1, Peskov said it is “impossible” to prevent Ukraine from joining the bloc. However, he went on to also say that Moscow can minimise the consequences, adding that it will do everything that is necessary. Peskov stated that Russia has always advocated the development of relations with NATO despite the alliance’s aggression. But he also said that all of Moscow’s efforts for cooperation have been in vain, referring to Russia’s move to suspend the work for its mission to the bloc. The Kremlin spokesman said that because NATO considers Russia to be its adversary, there is nothing wrong with suspending relations with the organisation. 

"It is also important to note here that despite the aggressiveness of this bloc, Russia has always stood for the development of relations. Only now, when it became obvious that all our efforts were in vain, we just made official what was real," Peskov told Rossiya 1.

"Nothing terrible will happen if... against the background of aggravation of aggressiveness, against the background of such declarations that the main task is to restrain us, we simply abandon these relations," he added.

Further, Peskov went on to say that there is an understanding that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Joe Biden should meet in the foreseeable future. He told the Russian state broadcaster that after the presidents of the two nations make a decision, the Kremlin will inform the world. It is worth mentioning that previously, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had announced that Moscow would suspend the work of its permanent mission to the alliance from November 1, in response to the reduction in the number of employees of the Permanent Missions of Russia to the bloc. 

Ukraine's possible NATO entry would be a 'dangerous step'

Meanwhile, earlier this week, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko warned that Ukraine's proposed NATO membership would be a "very dangerous step" which will have its consequences. Reacting to Ukraine's prospect of joining NATO, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin reaffirmed Washington's support for Kyiv's ambitions while emphasising that third nations had no power to veto the membership. However, Rudenko pointed out that representatives from NATO member nations have made similar remarks on numerous occasions, and a similar approach is represented in statutory documents. 

Russia's defence chief expressed concern about NATO buildup along the country's borders and advocated for deeper security ties with Belarus. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu emphasised recent steps to strengthen military cooperation between the two partners, such as the renovation of military facilities for common use, reported the Associated Press (AP). Shoigu further said that he and his Belarusian counterpart extended agreements on two Russian military facilities in Belarus — an early warning radar in the Brest region near Poland and a naval communications facility in Vileyka near Minsk.

Image: AP