By Bond Robertson 
Russia is demanding NATO reverse its 2008 decision, which offered Ukraine and Georgia potential membership at some point in the future. But that is certainly not the case, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg answered from Brussels on Friday night.
A written statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow reveals new details about President Vladimir Putin’s demands He says he will ask the United States and its allies in Europe.
Putin wants a guarantee that Ukraine will never join NATO, while a large military force remains close to the border with Ukraine, on the Russian side.
On Friday evening, Stoltenberg received the new German chancellor Olaf Schulz at NATO headquarters. At a joint press conference, Russia received this response from the NATO Secretary General:
NATO’s position is firm: Stoltenberg said it is a basic principle that all countries have the right to choose their own path, and to secure their borders.
NATO’s relations with Ukraine are defined by 30 NATO member states and Ukraine. He added that the decision is not up to others.
Russia: An unacceptable threat
According to Reuters, the Russian Foreign Ministry wrote in the document that NATO was in the process of annexing Ukraine, and that it would then deploy missiles in the country, which would threaten Russia.
Russia believes that this represents an “unacceptable threat to our security and leads to serious military risks for all involved”, and could quickly lead to a large-scale conflict in Europe.
The document was released after Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden met by video for two hours earlier this week.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also warned Western countries against rejecting Russia’s demands for legally binding security guarantees. It will inevitably lead to a deterioration of their security situation. In Rybakov.
NATO: a high price
Both Stoltenberg and Schultz said the Ukraine crisis was high on the agenda during their meeting on Friday. During the day, Schultz also made quick visits to both French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and the European Commission in Brussels.
After meeting with the newly elected German chancellor, Stoltenberg reiterated his demand that Russia withdraw its forces and normalize the situation.
If Russia enters and invades Ukraine, Stoltenberg said, “NATO countries agree that Russia will have to pay a heavy price.”
Repeat it will happen Serious diplomatic and economic consequences for Russia in the form of punitive measures.
An appropriate measure would be to take Russia out of international banking cooperation, which would make it difficult for Russia to change its currency.