Russia reaffirms intent to cease Ukraine from becoming a member of NATO

Russia reiterated that stopping Ukraine from becoming a member of the NATO alliance is one in every of its key targets of the conflict.

Ukraine's accession to the alliance would “pose a severe and important hazard to our nation, to the safety of our nation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned on Thursday.

LLOYD AUSTIN REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO SWEDEN, PREDICTS IT WILL JOIN NATO 'BEFORE JULY'

NATO had 30 members at the beginning of Russia's conflict in Ukraine, although Finland and Sweden shortly ended their neutrality and utilized to affix the alliance. Finland turned the thirty first member earlier this month, whereas Turkey and Hungary have objected to Sweden's software.

Finland's inclusion into NATO doubled the shared border between the alliance and Russia, a big blow to the Kremlin, which has tried to fracture the alliance via the conflict.

U.S. Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin met with Swedish Protection Minister Pal Jonson on Wednesday on the headquarters of the Swedish navy on Musko Naval Base close to Stockholm, the place he advised reporters he believes Sweden will be a part of the alliance earlier than the NATO summit is about to happen in Lithuania in early July.

"We'll do what we have completed to this point and much more of it — after which gauging our essential allies and inspiring them to return to that call as shortly as potential," he mentioned. "And I joined the opposite 30 ministers of protection within the alliance, and I do know that they really feel the identical means. Once more, I am positive that these nations will attain that call. After which I really feel assured that they will attain it earlier than July."

Austin was in Sweden earlier than touring to Germany, the place he'll convene the Ukraine Contact Group, which consists of month-to-month conferences of roughly 50 protection leaders from across the globe to debate Ukraine's most urgent wants. Forward of the assembly, the Biden administration introduced a brand new help bundle for roughly $325 million that features munitions and ammunition for U.S.-provided weapons.

NATO Secretary-Common Jens Stoltenberg visited Ukraine on Thursday, his first go to for the reason that begin of the full-scale conflict, saying the potential for Ukraine's ascension into the alliance will probably be a topic of dialogue in the course of the July assembly.

"Let me be clear: Ukraine's rightful place is within the Euro-Atlantic household. Ukraine's rightful place is in NATO. And over time, our assist will provide help to to make this potential," Stoltenberg advised reporters throughout a joint press convention with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

Stoltenberg mentioned they mentioned a “multiyear assist initiative” that will assist Ukraine replace its Soviet-era gear and doctrines to “NATO requirements” to “guarantee full interoperability with the alliance.”