Russia Warns Ukraine over NATO Membership

The Russian parliament, which proved to be the "spokesperson" of Kremlin on many occasions, approved a resolution yesterday, in which it warned Ukraine that the two countries' diplomatic relations would be heavily damaged in case the latter plans to join NATO. The resolution stated: "Ukraine's accession to the military bloc will lead to very negative consequences for relations between our fraternal peoples".


Although Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that the independence of countries which belonged to the former Soviet Union bloc, can and will be acknowledged by Russia, he warned that Georgia and Ukraine's potential future membership in NATO will create what he called "a colossal geopolitical shift". Some political analysts deemed Russia's standpoint on this matter as part of an on going campaign of nurturing its political influence over countries, like Ukraine and Georgia, which have displayed pro-western political orientations.

The official announcement forced the 200 US marine troops stationed in the predominantly Russian region of Crimea, in order to conduct military operations, to cancel all activities regarding the Sea Breeze 2006 NATO maneuvers on the Black Sea. Moreover, upon their arrival in the established location, the Feodosiya military base, last week, protesters welcomed them with massive barricades, while shouting "Occupiers go home!" and threatened to harass them should they travel outside the military camp.

According to a spokesman for the US embassy in Kiev, Brent Byers, the American troops currently working on the military base's plumbing as well as other departments' infrastructure, were basically blocked in their barracks: "They are safe and sound and anxious to get on with their work. We really don't understand what is going on down there. They would like to get out to enjoy the restaurants and buy some souvenirs".

Viktor Yushchenko met the Dutch Prime Minister Peter Balkenende in the Hague yesterday to discuss Ukraine joining the NATO forces by 2008, a political move which has been highlighted as being a crucial step for the economic advantages the country might enjoy onwards when it would ultimately join the European Union as well.