Moscow Says It Can't Prevent Ukraine From Joining NATO But Can Minimise Its Consequences

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKIY, Russia (Sputnik) - Russia cannot prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, but it is possible to minimise the consequences of such steps, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday.

"We cannot prevent it. It is impossible. But we can minimise the consequences of such steps for our country. I have no doubt that should the rapprochement between Ukraine and NATO continue, everything that is necessary will be done in Russia," Peskov told Rossiya 1, a Russian state broadcaster.

Russia has always advocated the development of relations with NATO despite the alliance's aggression, but all of Moscow's efforts for cooperation have been in vain, the Kremlin spokesman said, commenting on Moscow's move to suspend the work of its mission to the bloc.

"It is also important to note here that despite the aggressiveness of this bloc, Russia has always stood for the development of relations. Only now, when it became obvious that all our efforts were in vain, we just made official what was real," Peskov told Rossiya 1.

NATO considers Russia to be its adversary, therefore, there is nothing wrong with suspending relations with the organisation, the official added.

"Nothing terrible will happen if... against the background of aggravation of aggressiveness, against the background of such declarations that the main task is to restrain us, we simply abandon these relations," he added.

There is an understanding that Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden should meet in the foreseeable future, Peskov added.

"After the presidents make a decision, we will inform you. So far, let us not get ahead of things. There is an understanding that the next high-level contact should take place in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, now it will be implemented," Peskov told Rossiya 1.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced earlier that Moscow would suspend the work of its permanent mission to the alliance from 1 November. These actions were a response to the reduction in the number of employees of the Permanent Mission of Russia to the bloc.