US government ignores Russia’s opposition to Ukraine’s NATO membership, says ambassador

Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov declared on Tuesday that the US administration categorically refuses to consider Russia’s statements about its firm opposition to Ukraine’s possible membership of NATO.

“Washington absolutely refuses to listen to statements about our firm opposition to Kiev’s accession to the North Atlantic Alliance,” Antonov said, according to the press office of the Russian Embassy.

“And all this – despite concrete proposals from the Russian side on security guarantees conveyed to Western capitals in December 2021.”

Antonov highlighted that “the release by US officials of statements about Ukraine’s accession to the alliance only confirms that the unconditional victory of the Russian Armed Forces on the battlefield is the only correct option for us.”

“Ukraine’s entry into NATO is unacceptable for us under any circumstances,” the Russian ambassador said. “This is a threat to Russia’s national security.”

“Only politicians ignorant of the fundamental interests of the Russian Federation could expect that we could accept Kiev’s membership in a bloc that is hostile to us,” he added.

In response, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated at a press conference on Monday that Ukraine’s membership in NATO would be possible after the current conflict has been resolved.

In September 2022, Ukraine requested to join NATO in an accelerated manner, and at the alliance summit in Vilnius, in July 2023, it was assured that it would be accepted when the necessary conditions for this were met. No timetable for his admission was presented in Brussels.