The Kremlin says it sees no change in Ukraine’s position on NATO | Photo credit: Shutterstock
MOSCOW, Feb 14 (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Monday it did not feel that comments attributed by the Ukrainian ambassador in London reflected Kiev’s desire to renounce NATO membership, stressing that such a decision would go a long way to addressing Russia’s concerns.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK on Monday disputed comments reported by the BBC that his country might abandon plans to join the Atlantic Alliance because of pressure from Moscow, which has deployed dozens of thousands of soldiers on its borders.
He assured that the “flexibility” and the “concessions” that Ukraine would be ready to make in negotiations with Russia do not concern NATO membership.
In Kiev, the spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski also reiterated that joining NATO and the European Union remained a priority objective for Kiev.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz this question of the security guarantees requested by Moscow to begin a de-escalation around Ukraine, as well as that of possible sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, the Kremlin said. (Report Dmitry Antonov, French version Tangi Salaün)