Ukraine denies NATO U-turn plan

Ukraine Feb 14 rt.com-Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK was “taken out of context” when he suggested that Kiev may officially end its goal to join NATO as a means of averting war with Russia, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has said.   

In a statement on Monday, ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko attempted to cover for Ambassador Vadim Prystaiko, whose comments were reported on Sunday night as a significant revelation. Ukraine’s goal to join NATO is enshrined in the country’s constitution, and the ambassador’s comments could therefore be seen as unconstitutional.   

Asked by BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Stephen Nolan in an interview on Sunday if Ukraine might “contemplate not joining NATO” to avoid a war, Prystaiko responded: “We might, you know, especially [having] been threatened like that, blackmailed by that, and pushed to it.”