Tag: Nato

Russia has threatened World War Three if its foe Ukraine is granted membership into NATO, a Russian Security Council official was quoted as saying on Thursday, the media reported.

The single dissenting vote came from Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, who argued that there should be less focus on security in Europe and much more on the threat from China, dpa news agency reported.

NATO's new 10-year strategic blueprint, agreed to by leaders at a summit in Spain on Thursday morning (AEST), called out the rising Asian power for conducting "malicious" cyber operations, for its strategic partnership with Russia, rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal and its efforts to dominate key supply chains, Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The Nato chief said Ukraine's allies are preparing to provide it with NATO-standard weapons.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: US President Joe Biden On India’s Stand

Zelensky sought help from NATO countries in the fight against Russia, but they refused to send jets or directly engage in war

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov did not rule out that Ukraine President Vladimir Zelensky is trying to provoke a conflict between Russia and NATO, as evidenced by his "militaristic frenzy".

Women & Children Of War | Moving Images From Russia-Ukraine War

Russia-Ukraine War: Why NATO Is Not Sending In Troops & Fighter Planes To Ukraine

In his address via video link, Zelensky said: "Don't be silent. Go out onto the streets. Support Ukraine. Support our freedom. This would be a victory not only over Russian troops, it would be a victory of light over darkness. A victory of good over evil. A victory of freedom over what is happening now, here, on Ukrainian land.

Earlier, NATO's Ambassadors said in a statement they had decided "in line with our defensive planning to protect all allies, to take additional steps to further strengthen deterrence and defense across the Alliance".

Russia launched its "special operation" in Ukraine on Thursday morning. As President Putin said, the operation is aimed at stopping the Ukrainian army's attacks on the two breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, now recognized by Moscow as sovereign states.

The Secretary General noted that NATO has observed a steady increase in Russia's military capabilities near the Ukrainian border over the last few weeks and months, with "well over 100,000" troops believed to be near the border.

It comes after Johnson asked UK defence and security chiefs to step up defensive efforts in Europe during a high-level intelligence briefing on the situation in Ukraine this week.

Stefanishyna said Ukraine supported the use of diplomatic channels with Russia to prevent a military escalation, but warned that Russia's demands for Ukraine to be excluded from future NATO membership were not acceptable.