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The Kremlin has expressed “satisfaction” following the Trump administration’s decision to rule out Ukraine’s membership in NATO, with Russian officials highlighting that the stance aligns with their own position on the matter, The Guardian reported on Monday.
“We have heard from Washington at various levels that Ukraine’s membership in NATO is excluded. Of course, this is something that causes our satisfaction and coincides with our position”, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in his regular media briefing, according to The Guardian.
Peskov stressed that Ukrainian membership in the US-led military alliance would present a direct threat to Russia’s national interests, adding that this issue is at the centre of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, suggesting that the prospect of NATO expansion played a crucial role in escalating tensions.
“Of course, this is something that causes our satisfaction and coincides with our position,” Peskov reportedly said.
For Ukraine, NATO membership has been a key strategic goal, seen as a means of safeguarding the country from further Russian aggression. Ukrainian leaders believe that joining NATO would provide much-needed security guarantees and a deterrent against possible future threats from Russia.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has reportedly challenged Ukraine’s sovereignty and questioned its existence as an independent nation, has consistently opposed the idea of Ukraine becoming part of the Western alliance.
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