The top ambassador for Russia asserted on Tuesday that “militarization of the European Union (EU) is occurring at a historic rate.
Sergey Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia, told reporters that there was now “very little difference” between the EU and NATO and that the group had become more active in its attempt to restrain Russia.
He made reference to a “strategic partnership” agreement that Brussels and the Western military alliance signed in January.
The statement advocated for more EU-NATO collaboration while denouncing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as the “gravest threat to Euro-Atlantic security in decades” and failing to state that it would guarantee EU security.
Vladimir Putin’s objections about NATO’s growth, which the Kremlin has used as justification for invading its western neighbour, were echoed by Lavrov.
He said that despite numerous promises to Russia that additional states would not join, “those were lies.”
“Unbiased assessments by both domestic and international political scientists show that NATO sought to split Russia apart…but in the end it only strengthened it and brought it closer together.”
Finland joined the US-led coalition earlier this month after the Russian incursion shocked Europe.
As the war has sparked NATO’s expansion, Putin has been dealt a severe political setback as Sweden seeks protection under its security blanket.
With Finland as a member, Russia’s border with NATO, the biggest defence alliance in the world, is doubled.
Given that Kiev now also hopes to join the military alliance, Lavrov was questioned about whether Moscow made a mistake by starting the war in Ukraine.
He responded, “NATO never had any intention of ending. In order to synchronise the military plans of NATO members and neutral states, Sweden and Finland were “increasingly participating in NATO military exercises and other actions.”
Both, despite being ostensibly neutral, were strongly associated with the Western military alliance.
On his first trip to Kyiv since the violence started in February, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confidently asserted last week that Ukraine’s “rightful place” was in NATO and pledged further support for the nation.
In response, the Kremlin reiterated that one of the main reasons for its invasion was to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO since doing so would endanger Russia’s very existence.
Experts told Euronews in October that it is doubtful that Ukraine will join NATO anytime soon.
They cited, among other things, the potential for starting a larger conflict, the challenge of garnering support from all members, and the potential “propaganda victory” for Putin.
EU authorities have pledged to do everything in their power to grant Ukraine’s application for membership. Ukraine is also pursuing membership.
But contrary to what Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has requested, they have not provided a specific timeline for talks on joining the EU. The Euronews
