Moscow. February 15th. INTERFAX - Russia wants to resolve the issue related to Ukraine's accession to NATO, now, during the negotiation process, the promise not to accept it does not suit the Russian Federation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Here you said a wonderful phrase: "They say that Ukraine will not be in NATO in the coming years." What does it mean to say? You and I must understand what is "spoken" in interstate relations. We have been told for 30 years that there will be no NATO expansion at all for a single day towards the Russian borders, and today we see the NATO infrastructure right at our house," Putin said on Tuesday at a press conference following talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Moreover, he recalled, the issues of Ukraine's accession to NATO are being discussed. "They say, as you said, it won't be tomorrow. And when? The day after tomorrow? And what does this change for us in the historical perspective? Absolutely nothing," the president said.
"Russia hears that Ukraine is not ready to join NATO today, we know this thesis. And they immediately say that she will not be accepted tomorrow, but will be accepted when she is prepared for this. But it may be too late for us. Therefore, we want to resolve this issue now, right now, in the near future, during the negotiation process, by peaceful means," Putin said.
