Tensions between Russia and the West are on the rise following last week’s NATO summit, with the Kremlin denouncing the summit’s conclusions as “threatening” to Russia.
Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressed concern over the summit’s results during an interview on the Rossiya 1 TV channel’s program “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin.” He criticized the meeting, which took place in Washington from July 9-11, for offering no basis for initiating peace talks to end the conflict in Ukraine.
“The alliance is demonstrating its determination to remain an enemy for us,” Peskov said in the interview published on Sunday, referring to the NATO summit held in Washington from July 9-11.
Peskov emphasized that NATO remains inflexible regarding Ukraine’s potential membership in the alliance.
“By saying that Ukraine would eventually be accepted as a member, NATO essentially says that it would never be considerate of Moscow’s main concern,” he added.
Despite these tensions, Peskov confirmed that Russia’s military operations in Ukraine would continue. “There are no prerequisites for negotiations yet. We need to work and achieve the goals set by our president,” he stressed.
Founded in 1949 to counter the Soviet Union’s influence, NATO operates under Article 5 of its treaty, which considers an attack on one member as an attack on all, obliging collective defense.
Russia, facing international condemnation for its invasion of Ukraine, has long viewed NATO’s eastward expansion as a threat. Moscow officials argue that NATO’s presence near Russian borders jeopardizes regional stability and could provoke a significant response from Russia to safeguard its security.
The war in Ukraine has intensified Russia-West relations. Ukraine, seeking NATO membership for protection against Russia, remains a contentious issue. The Kremlin perceives Ukraine joining NATO as a direct threat.
The conflict dates back to the 2014 crisis in Ukraine’s southern and eastern regions, with Ukraine accusing Russia of annexing Crimea and supporting separatist movements in Donetsk and Luhansk. On February 24, 2022, Russian forces launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, following a pre-dawn TV address by President Putin demanding Ukraine’s military to surrender. Currently, Russia controls nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine remains steadfast in its resolve to reclaim all occupied territories, insisting that peace is contingent on Russia withdrawing its forces and restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity.