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Poroshenko teases Russia with talk about Ukraine’s accession to NATO — Russian lawmaker

Ukraine’s intention to cancel its non-aligned status may entail consequences the Ukrainian president obviously underestimates, Defense Committee member Franz Klintsevich said

Franz Klintsevich ITAR-TASS/Vladimir Smirnov

Franz Klintsevich

© ITAR-TASS/Vladimir Smirnov

MOSCOW, November 27. /TASS/. A Russian legislator has described the possibility Ukraine may give up its non-aligned status as a “risky step.”

“Ukraine’s intention to cancel its non-aligned status, for the first time unequivocally mentioned by President Poroshenko earlier today, may as a matter of fact scrap all international agreements achieved since the days of the Yalta conference (conference on the post-war world order in 1945)," Defense Committee member Franz Klintsevich said.

He believes this is “a very risky step that may entail consequences the Ukrainian president obviously underestimates.”

One has the impression Poroshenko is teasing Russia when he talks about Ukraine joining NATO, Klintsevich said. The legislator is certain “Russia will provide a decent response ruling out any hysterical moves.”

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told parliament on Thursday Ukraine’s neutral status had proved unjustified and should be abandoned. “For this reason we have got back to the idea of integration with NATO,” he added. “We are deepening our cooperation and the compatibility of our army with NATO’s armed forces and reorienting to NATO standards."

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Ukraine crisis Ukraine NATO

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