Alghadeer TV Alghadeer TV
Ukraine may give up its ambition of joining the US-led NATO alliance in a bid to avert “war”, the country’s envoy to Britain has suggested, noting that Kiev is willing to be “flexible” on the issue.
In a BBC interview Sunday, on being asked whether Kiev would be willing to forego plans to pursue membership of the Atlantic military alliance, Vadym Prystaiko said the option is on the table.
“We might – especially being threatened like that, blackmailed by that, and pushed to it,” asserted Prystaiko, who served as Ukraine’s foreign minister until 2020.
The remarks came amid persistent claims by the US that Russia plans to invade Ukraine, despite repeated denials by Moscow, who see it as a pretext by the US and its allies to beef up their military presence in Eastern Europe.
Moscow has demanded security guarantees from the military alliance that they would not further expand eastward closer to Russian borders.
The demands, however, have been snubbed by Washington and its European allies, who emphasize that the NATO membership will remain open to Ukraine.
Shortly after his remarks created a stir around the world, Prystaiko returned to the BBC to say that the country would not be reconsidering its bid to join the military alliance.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s spokesperson also responded to the envoy’s remarks, stating that Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO and the European Union are envisaged in its constitution and remain its absolute priority.
The interview came as Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his nation was seeking an explanation from Russia within the next 48 hours about the military buildup on its borders.
In a joint statement on Friday after Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing, the duo called on NATO to “abandon the ideological approaches of the Cold War”.
On the same day, Russia’s Foreign Ministry also dismissed a joint response by NATO and the European Union to its questions on security as “disrespectful and lacking substance “.
The ministry said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had asked all member nations of the two blocs about their understanding of the principle of “indivisible security,” expecting an individual response from each country.
Instead, it added, he only received replies from the head of NATO and the EU foreign policy chief, insisting that “such a step cannot be seen as anything other than a sign of diplomatic impoliteness and disrespect for our request.”
