Putin Warns Ukraine’s Possible Entry into NATO Threatens Russia’s Security

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again expressed concerns over Ukraine’s potential entry into NATO, stating that it poses a threat to Russia’s security. Putin stated that the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO was one of the reasons that led Moscow to initiate the conflict with its neighboring country. He also warned that NATO membership for Ukraine would not increase its security but instead make the world more vulnerable and create additional tensions at the international level.

Addressing Russian public television Rossia-24, Putin emphasized that Russia is not against discussing security guarantees for Ukraine, but only if there are also mandatory security guarantees for Russia. He highlighted the principle that when guaranteeing the security of one country, it should not generate threats for another country, as expressed in various international documents.

During the recent NATO summit in Vilnius, allied leaders reaffirmed their support for Ukraine to join the bloc. However, they noted that Ukraine cannot proceed with the membership process while it is engaged in the ongoing conflict with Russia.

Putin recalled the Istanbul draft agreement from last April, which was discarded by the Ukrainian regime despite addressing Ukraine’s security concerns in detail. He indicated that Russia is open to discussing security guarantees but asserted that the supply of Western missiles and tanks to Ukraine has not significantly altered the course of the conflict.

According to Putin, the supplied missiles and tanks have not had a critical impact on the fighting in Ukraine. He claimed that the Ukrainian military often refuses to use the Western tanks because they become prime targets for the Russian Army. Putin argued that these tanks “burn better” than Soviet models, and since June 4, at least 100 Western production vehicles, including German Leopards, have been destroyed by Russian forces.

The concern over Ukraine’s potential NATO membership and the ongoing conflict in the region have fueled tensions between Russia and the Western alliance. The situation remains fluid, with discussions surrounding security guarantees and a potential resolution to the conflict ongoing.