Russia urges NATO to close door for Ukraine to join

MOSCOW – Russia state, NATO had to officially overturn the 2008 decision to open its doors to Georgia and Ukraine . Russia insists that giving Moscow guarantees to halt the bloc’s eastward expansion is in the West’s “fundamental” interests.

As reported by The Moscow Times, Friday (12/11/2021), the Russian Foreign Ministry said the United States (US) should officially close the door to Ukraine and Georgia, which in 2008 promised to become members of NATO one day.

Read: Putin: Don’t shift responsibility for tensions in Ukraine to Russia

“In the interest of fundamental European security, it is necessary to officially reject the decision of the 2008 NATO Bucharest summit, that Ukraine and Georgia will become members of NATO,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

In addition, by supporting the aspirations of Ukraine and Georgia, NATO violates the basic principle of all OSCE participating countries not to strengthen their security at the expense of the security of other countries.

“The military bloc must also guarantee that weapons that threaten Russia’s security will not be deployed on the country’s western borders – either by NATO members or any other country,” the ministry continued.

Read: Russia accuses NATO of escalating with Ukraine bridge of confrontation

In recent weeks, Russia moved about 100,000 troops to the Ukrainian border. Russian President Vladimir Putin did not say whether Moscow was planning to carry out the attack, but insisted that the country had the right to defend its security.

Earlier this week, Putin and US leader Joe Biden held two-hour talks, with the Kremlin chief demanding that the West provide written assurances that Ukraine would not become a launch pad for NATO.

Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has rejected Russia’s demands. “NATO relations with Ukraine will be decided by 30 NATO allies and Ukraine, no one else,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels on Friday.

(esn)

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