Kremlin says potential NATO deployment in Ukraine ‘unacceptable’
Moscow: Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that the potential deployment of NATO forces to Ukraine is unacceptable.
Such a move would pose a “critical danger” to all European and global security, Peskov said on Thursday.
“As for the discussions on the deployment of military contingents on the territory of Ukraine, this is absolutely unacceptable for us. It carries a critical danger for the entire European and world security,” he added.
Earlier, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu warned in an interview with TASS that the deployment of “peacekeepers” on Russia’s historical territories could lead to World War III, Xinhua news agency reported.
He pointed to the fact that a “coalition of the willing” was making plans to send a military contingent to Ukraine under the guise of peacekeepers.
Peskov’s comments came after Ukrainian officials on Wednesday held talks with delegations from the US, Britain, France and Germany in London.
In an interview with TASS, Shoigu said that the deployment of peacekeepers onto “historically Russian territories” could lead to a direct clash between Russia and NATO, as well as to World War III.
“Rational politicians in Europe understand that implementing such a scenario could lead to a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia and, subsequently, to World War III,” he added.
Additionally, Shoigu claimed that Western countries were supposedly preparing for war against Russia.
“An open campaign is unfolding in Europe to prepare for a military conflict with the Russia. At various levels, the possible timelines for such a confrontation are being discussed — from three to five years. By 2030, European politicians and military personnel want to be ready to fight us,” he said in the interview with TASS.
In early March, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a plan to form a “coalition of the willing” to bolster support for Ukraine.
At a summit in Paris later in March, French President Emmanuel Macron raised the idea of deploying “reassurance forces” from a few willing European Union member states to strategic locations in Ukraine should a peace agreement be reached with Russia.