ISTANBUL, April 4. /TASS/. Russia’s ambassador to Turkey Alexey Yerkhov believes that the NATO bloc, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, should take it easy and give up any plans of a marriage with "young beauty" Ukraine.
In an article published in the Yeni Birlik newspaper, the Russian diplomat warned that such "matrimonial intentions" may lead to a "severe hangover." He said the alliance, despite its advanced age "by human standards," was still dangerous and had more than 3 million troops and 750 bases around the world.
"Now it hears the sound of the battle trumpet again, flexes its muscles and, like an old man desperately trying to look young, against the advice of his doctors and friends, intends to marry a young beauty. This is easy to understand in a sense: like a gulp of good wine Ukraine makes one feel euphoric and helps forget about the trials of yesterday and today for a short while. But the inevitable hangover is bound to be severe - headaches, nausea and weakness in the legs," Yerkhov said in the article entitled The Old Man of the Euro-Atlantic, also published on the Russian embassy’s website.
"My congratulations to the bloc, which the Soviet media rightly slammed as 'aggressive.' But no feeling of admiration on the occasion, though. May this elderly gent live out his life quietly, without disturbing others. It's better this way. Or else, the tacit, gallant and very effective soldier Ivan will have to right the wrongs of the ‘united Euro-Atlantic’ - the heir of Napoleon and Hitler - again.
The way it has happened many times in history," the Russian ambassador said.