Russia: ‘Dangerous’ for Ukraine to join NATO

Russia is warning Ukraine that it would be “dangerous” for it to join NATO.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov issued the latest threat while speaking on Russian state television. Ukraine’s parliament has renounced its neutral status, raising the chances that Kiev will join the Western alliance.

{mosads}Lavrov blamed the West for the latest flare up between Russia and Ukraine.

“There are a few Western countries that want to maintain the crisis in Ukraine and to maintain and boost the confrontation between Ukraine and Russia, including through provocative efforts toward membership in the Atlantic alliance,” Lavrov said, according to Reuters.

“The very idea of Ukraine’s efforts to join NATO are dangerous, not only for Ukrainian people because there is no unity over that issue, it is dangerous for European security,” he said.

If Ukraine joined NATO, it would give the alliance a long border with Russia, something that is rattling Moscow.

NATO has boosted its military presence in Eastern Europe this year as Russia has backed separatists in Ukraine. Moscow insists it is not backing a rebellion against Kiev, and that it is looking for a peaceful solution to the fighting in that country.