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If Ukraine joins NATO, Russia’s security threats will increase dramatically — Putin

Vladimir Putin recalled that Russia is told that some NATO countries are against Ukraine becoming a member of the alliance

© Pavel Bednyakov/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. Threats to Russia’s security will increase significantly in the event of Ukraine's admission to NATO, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday.

"If Russia faces such a threat as Ukraine’s admission to the North Atlantic Alliance, to NATO, then the threats to our country will increase many times," Putin said and recalled Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty "from which it is clear that all the countries of the alliance must fight on the side of one of their members if one Ally is considered as under attack."

Putin recalled that Russia is told that some NATO countries are against Ukraine becoming a member of the alliance. However, a memorandum was inked earlier that opened the doors to NATO for Ukraine and Georgia. "There is no answer to my question "why have you done it?" Under pressure from the US - that’s the answer," Putin concluded.

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