Alastair Kocho-Williams, professor of history at Clarkson University in the US, says Nato membership would significantly increase Ukraines international military backing, allowing for Nato military action within Ukraine and alongside members of its military. Nato stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and is also known as the North Atlantic Alliance. [234][235], On 30 November 2021, Russian President Putin stated that an expansion of NATO's presence in Ukraine, especially the deployment of any long-range missiles capable of striking Russian cities or missile defense systems similar to those in Romania and Poland, would be a "red line" issue for Russia. These units, led by the UK, Canada, Germany and the US respectively, are multinational, and combat-ready. [256], On 22 February 2022 Russia recognized the rebel republics of Donbas, sending its army in the region; finally, on 24 February 2022 Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine. He said that they will show no weakness in their response. [162] This has been due to Ukraine's political decisions not being met at that time. Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya denied any plans for invasion and said Russia was within its rights to station troops anywhere within its own territory. [57] Resistance was reportedly met from France and Germany. "Today there was a NATO summit, a weak summit, a confused summit, a summit where it was clear that not everyone considers the battle for Europe's freedom to be the number one goal Today, the leadership of the alliance gave the green light for further bombing of Ukrainian cities and villages, having refused to set up a no-fly zone. She said that Washington would not give up bilateral cooperation with sovereign states that want to work with the United States, and added that the U.S. government does not intend to decide about Ukraine without the participation of Ukraine, or about NATO without NATO.[249]. On 9 February 2021, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, stated that he hoped that Ukraine would be able to receive an action plan for NATO membership at the same time as Georgia. [155], Also on 9 March, Zelenskyy's plea was reinforced by Azov battalion Major Denis Prokopenko, who was tasked with the defense of Mariupol: "If a no-fly zone over Ukraine is not provided soon we will not be able to manage the supply of water and food, medicine, as well as to evacuate people safely. [41], After the Orange Revolution in 2004 Kuchma was replaced by President Viktor Yushchenko who is a keen supporter of Ukraine's NATO membership. Ukraine's northwestern neighbor quickly a key player in the conflict, as thousands of Ukrainian refugees seek solace in the NATO-protected European Union member. Poland. [244], On 17 December, the Russian Foreign Ministry unveiled a draft agreement between Russia and the United States on "security guarantees" and a draft agreement on measures to ensure the security of Russia and NATO member states. [nb 3][111] According to an official NATO statement, the new status "does not prejudge any decisions on NATO membership. . emphasized Landsbergis. On 14 January Andrii Yermak, Chairman of the Office of the President of Ukraine, praised the preparation of sanctions in the event of a Russian invasion, but warned that such an invasion "would be a great tragedy." By the end of 2006, not a single representative of the pro-presidential Our Ukraine bloc remained in the government. [1] Ukraine applied to integrate with a NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) in 2008. [213][214], According to numerous independent polls conducted between 2002 and the events of 2014, Ukrainian public opinion on NATO membership was split, with the majority of those polled against joining the military alliance and many identifying it as a threat. [107], On 7 February 2019, the Ukrainian parliament voted with a majority of 334 out of 385 to change the Ukrainian constitution to help Ukraine to join NATO and the European Union. Ukraine declared itself independent of the Soviet Union in August 1991 and moved to a market economy, but there has been tension between its old ties to Russia and new allegiances with Western nations ever since. There are currently 30 countries in Nato; 27 in Europe, two in North America and one in Eurasia. Written into Moldova's constitution is an enshrinement of neutrality: "The Republic of Moldova proclaims its permanent neutrality. [7] However, following the Russian military invasion in Ukraine and parliamentary elections in October 2014, the new government made joining NATO a priority. "[240] According to Putin, "If some kind of strike systems appear on the territory of Ukraine, the flight time to Moscow will be seven to 10 minutes, and five minutes in the case of a hypersonic weapon being deployed. Ukraine's former Soviet status and close historical ties to Russia made NATO membership for the country a firm line in the sand for Putin, who said in 2008 that its inclusion in the alliance would be viewed as a "hostile act toward Russia.". The authors of the bill are convinced that in this way they will forever block the commissioning of the pipeline. The country was also the primary destination for more than 5,000 US troops that arrives in Eastern Europe leading up to the invasion. [250] Wendy Sherman noted that NATO will not abandon the policy of "open doors". [42], On 21 April 2005, in Vilnius, as part of an informal meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the NATO countries, a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission was held, which opened a new stage in Ukraine's relations with the alliance "intensive dialogue", which was intended to be the first step towards Ukraine's entry into NATO. The UK recently sent a group of around 30 elite troops and 2,000 anti-tank missile launchers to Ukraine, and is currently leading a multinational battlegroup of 831 troops from Denmark, France and Iceland based in Estonia. "Today I asked the 27 leaders of Europe whether Ukraine will be in NATO, I asked directly," he said during a February 2022 speech. Russia accused Ukraine of a military build-up of its own, and demanded "legal guarantees" that it would never join NATO. Russia also urges the United States not to establish military bases in the former Soviet Union and not to accept these countries into NATO. [162], On 30 September, Ukraine formally submitted an application to become a NATO member. At the same press conference, the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau said that "Putin made a fundamental miscalculation. The green map was updated daily this week as Milley traveled along NATO's flank, from the Baltic to the Black Sea. The body has designated the former Soviet country as one of its "enhanced opportunity partners," a title granted to nonmember countries that have contributed to NATO-led operations and missions. An analysis published in Foreign Policy speculated in February 2022 that Poland's capital, Warsaw, was set to become "the linchpin of the West's efforts to project power in Eastern Europe.". [148], On 1 March Stoltenberg convinced the President of Poland to forgo sending any fighter aircraft to Ukraine because of the risk of attracting Russian attacks onto its territory, which would likely cause NATO to invoke Article 5 of its constitution. Hide layers. The alliance now consists of 28 European countries and two countries in North America. While Lukashenko said Belarusian troops didn't join the conflict, Russian forces used Belarusian territory to enter Ukraine from the north, with Belarusian border guards and the country's air-defense system available to Moscow. Hungary. Ukraine's Declaration of Sovereignty, adopted by parliament in 1990, declared it had the "intention of becoming a permanently neutral state that does not participate in military blocs and adheres to three nuclear free principles" (art. Allowing Ukraine to join NATO at the current moment would require all NATO members to come to Ukraine's immediate defense, prompting near-global war against Russia. Its purpose is to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means. This policy appeared in 1994 and served very different purposes than building European security. At least 40 Ukrainian soldiers and a child have been killed as of midday on Thursday, with many more civilians wounded. Tensions escalated even further in 2008 when NATO announced its intent to admit both Ukraine and Georgia at an undetermined future time. [255], On 19 January, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov made a proposal to the United States to assume legal obligations not to vote for NATO membership of countries whose membership is opposed by the Russian Federation, reducing NATO's non-enlargement requirements. Ukraine's declaration concerning NATO dates back as far as 2008 and is not expected to be acted upon anytime soon, but the greater context of the treaty's expansion eastwards has been a thorn. By Phil McCausland and Dan De Luce. "[citation needed], On 20 January 2006 in Budapest, following a meeting of defense ministers of Central European countries NATO members Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia (which was attended by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anatolii Hrytsenko) it was announced that these states were ready to support Ukraine's entry into NATO. Institute for the Study of War map of the state of the conflict in Ukraine. My answer is no we will not choose, will not sacrifice one for the other. also heard in Ukraines second largest city, His remarks came as Ukrainians began fleeing the country with roads gridlocked, underground train stations packed and queues at bus stops, petrol stations and cash machines. [citation needed], In April 2005, Viktor Yushchenko returned to Ukraine's military doctrine the mention of Ukraine's strategic goal "full membership in NATO and the European Union." ", condemned what it called Russia's "horrifying attack on Ukraine,", Putin has several times warned Western nations not to involve themselves in the war, said last year that his country's forces would join the action, he reiterated his claims earlier this month, thousands of Ukrainian refugees flocked to Moldova, thousands of Ukrainian refugees seek solace in the NATO-protected European Union member, approximately 1.5 million of the more than 8 million Ukrainian refugees, NATO formally invited both countries to join the alliance. [147] Stoltenberg condemned Putin's declaration: "This further undermines Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, erodes efforts towards a resolution of the conflict, and violates the Minsk agreements, to which Russia is a party. Ukraine shares borders with four NATO countries:. Regarding military action, Nato says it is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. Given Ukraines current instability, Nato membership will not happen any time soon. Russia sought an end to NATO's "long-standing open-door policy for new member countries" and that it remove troops and equipment from Eastern Europe. Ukraine is an "enhanced opportunity partner" of NATO, however, which entitles it to share the same status as non-member countries like Sweden, Australia, Finland and Georgia. 1223 Lithuanian. It is bounded by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov in the south. It may also ally with external forces. [149][150], On 4 March following an emergency meeting of Foreign Ministers in Brussels, Stoltenberg rejected Zelenskyy's request to impose a no-fly zone over the country, stating that it might lead to a full-fledged war between the Alliance and Russia, and he declined to involve NATO, saying: "We are not part of this conflict." Initial personnel and equipment of the 173rd Airborne Brigade arrived in Yavoriv, Lviv Oblast, on 10 April 2015. Aviation assets involved in the Which European countries are included in this of 27 in! A vast invasion has been launched by land, sea and air and innumerable missiles and bombs have been raining down on an entirely innocent population, he added. [27][26][28][1], Leonid Kuchma, who became president in July 1994, signed the quadripartite Memorandum on security assurances in connection with Ukraine's accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons on 5 December. [51], US President George W. Bush and both nominees for President of the United States in the 2008 election, U.S. senator Barack Obama and U.S. senator John McCain, did offer backing to Ukraine's membership of NATO. Country by country, this page offers an overview of the links to national information servers and to the website of national delegations to NATO. [156] The Polish Prime Minister said on 9 March that any decision about delivering offensive weapons must be made unanimously by NATO members. At a briefing in Kyiv in May 2021, Democrat Senator Chris Murphy said at a briefing in Kyiv following a meeting with Zelenskyy that granting Ukraine a MAP would be the next logical step toward NATO membership. However, the Bush administration seemed not to push for Georgian and Ukrainian MAPs in late November 2008. 2021 Associated Newspapers Limited. [87][88][89][90][91][92] On 1 October 2014, Jens Stoltenberg took over the position of NATO Secretary-General. [108] After the vote, Poroshenko declared: "This is the day when the movement of Ukraine to the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance will be consolidated in the Constitution as a foreign political landmark. The country . "[5] On 1 March 2010, during his visit to Brussels, Yanukovych said that there would be no change to Ukraine's status as a member of the alliance's outreach program. The ability of these states to determine their own future is a litmus test for the new Europe. The president also announced that some US troops would be sent to the Baltics to bolster NATO positions in the east. Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, a longtime ally of Putin, allowed Russian forces to invade Ukraine via Belarus. Hungary joined the organization in 1999,. "[112][113][114] On 8 October 2020, during a meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine needed a NATO MAP, as NATO membership will contribute to Ukraine's security and defense. As of March 2022, the NATO consists of 30 countries (28 from Europe and 2 from North America). [43][44] At the beginning of 2008 the work of the Rada was blocked for two months due, according to at least one observer, to this letter. [58], In November 2008, Chancellor Merkel, Prime Minister Tymoshenko and Ukrainian minister of defence Anatoliy Hrytsenko doubted Ukraine would be granted a NATO MAP at the December meeting. "[136], On 28 January Putin said the West has ignored "Russia's fundamental concerns" on NATO's expansion and said that NATO had "strike weapons systems near Russia's borders". BorisJohnsonpromised a massive package of economic measures in tandem with the US and European Union on Thursday. The US has tens of thousands of soldiers stationed across Europe, including in Germany, the UK, Italy and Spain. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at his annual foreign policy press conference that Moscow "has run out of patience" waiting for the West's response to the Kremlin's demands for "security guarantees", and therefore Russia is waiting for a written response within a week. From 1949 to 2022, NATO countries bordering Russia has grown from one to four, and now includes a series of former Soviet states. The list of NATO Countries supporting Ukraine and condemning the Russian Invasion is provided below: Founding Members of NATO: Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands . Following Putin's February 24, 2022 invasion, President Joe Biden said no US troops would be sent to Ukraine, though he warned that the US and its allies would "defend every inch of NATO territory." Finland and Sweden, two longtime proponents of neutrality, changed their tune in the face of war, expressing a wish to join the body. [126], On 28 November Ukraine warned that Russia had massed nearly 92,000 troops near its borders, and speculated that Putin intended an offensive at the end of January or early February. Ukraine declared a goal for their armed forces to become interoperable with those of NATO by 2020; the CAPU was designed to meet the needs of this process. [32], The Constitution of Ukraine, adopted in 1996 and based upon the Declaration of Independence of 24 August 1991, contained the basic principles of non-coalition and future neutrality. San Marino. It has shaken the international order. NATO formally invited both countries to join the alliance in June 2022. Welcome to NATO on the Map. (Image: GETTY) Along with Austria, Cyprus, Ireland, and Malta, Finland . On 15 June 2004, in the second edition of the Military Doctrine of Ukraine, approved by the decree of Kuchma, a provision appeared on the implementation by Ukraine of a policy of Euro-Atlantic integration, the ultimate goal of which was to join NATO. [2] [3] Plans for NATO membership were shelved by Ukraine following the 2010 presidential election in which Viktor Yanukovych, who preferred to keep the country non . Ukraine. [99], A number of joint military exercises were planned between NATO members and Ukraine in 2015. [8] On 21 February 2019, the Constitution of Ukraine was amended, the norms on the strategic course of Ukraine for membership in the European Union and NATO are enshrined in the preamble of the Basic Law, three articles and transitional provisions.[9][10]. He said "we have made written proposals to the Putin administration to reduce risks and increase transparency of military activities, address space and cyber threats, and engage on arms control, including on nuclear weapons and missiles [Putin] is attempting to roll back history. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliance created in 1949 to provide collective security against Soviet expansionism and to encourage European political integration in the aftermath of World War II. A new country has to be unanimously approved by Nato members and factors taken into account will include, among others, unresolved external territorial disputes. Nato on the map. [100] Among them were Operation Fearless Guardian (OFG) which totalled 2,200 participants, including 1,000 U.S. military. ", Yanukovych describes current level of Ukraine's cooperation with NATO as sufficient, Ukraine's Yanukovych: EU ties a 'key priority', Ukraine vows new page in ties with Russia, NATO considers Ukraine's behavior 'unprecedented', NATO: Euro-Atlantic prospects a sovereign right of Ukraine, Havrysh: Ukraine-NATO cooperation not excluding strategic partnership between Moscow, Kyiv, Yanukovych: Ukraine currently not ready to join NATO, Ukraine's parliament votes to abandon Nato ambitions, "The Orange Revolution and the Yushchenko presidency", Cabinet approves action plan for annual national program of cooperation with NATO in 2010, Ukraine, NATO to hold security exercises during Euro 2012, Yanukovych signs decree on Ukraine-NATO annual cooperation programs, Yanukovych approves program of Ukraine-NATO cooperation for 2012, "NATO commander plays down tension with Russia over Ukraine", Maidan nominates Yatsenyuk for prime minister, Ukrainian parliament endorses new cabinet, "Ukraine talks set to open without pro-Russian separatists", "Poroshenko wins presidential election with 54.7% of vote CEC", "New Ukrainian president will be elected for 5-year term Constitutional Court", "Appointment of Secretary General designate", "Ukraine crisis: PM Yatsenyuk to seek Nato membership", "Ukraine hopes for US assistance in granting Ukraine major non-NATO ally status", "Ukraine to initiate cancellation of Ukraine's non-bloc status, seek NATO membership", "Ukraine Ends 'Nonaligned' Status, Earning Quick Rebuke From Russia", Spotlight: Scrapping non-aligned status paves Ukraine's way to NATO, fuels Russia's wrath, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/24/russia-attacks-ukraine-news-vladimir-putin-zelenskiy-russian-invasion, "New Year, new hope as Ukraine paves way for NATO membership", "Poroshenko Approved Plan for multinational Exercises Involving Armed Forces' Units in 2015 | Ukraine Under Attack", Fearless Guardian ground convoy arrives in Ukraine, Juncker Says Ukraine Not Likely To Join EU, NATO For 2025 Years, "Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine", "Rada restores Ukraine's course for NATO membership as foreign policy priority", "Pledging reforms by 2020, Ukraine seeks route into NATO", "President Poroshenko Seeks European "Patronage" in Donbass Region", "Ukraine pushes ahead with plans to secure NATO membership", "Ukraine's parliament backs changes to Constitution confirming Ukraine's path toward EU, NATO", "We are going our way and this is the way to Ukraine's membership in the EU and NATO President", "Ukraine's New President Vows To Dissolve Parliament As PM, Other Key Officials Resign", NATO Grants Ukraine 'Enhanced Opportunities Partner' Status, "Infographic: Military capabilities of Russia and Ukraine", "Russia as aggressor, NATO as objective: Ukraine's new National Security Strategy", " , ", " ", " '- ", " , ", "Ukraine has been trying to join NATO for 15 years", " ", " ' ", " ", " : 2008 , , ", "Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with US Senators: Nord Stream 2 is a powerful weapon being given to Russia", "Ukraine, NATO launch joint Black Sea drills", "Soldiers, Separatists, Sanctions: A Timeline Of The Russia-Ukraine Crisis", "Russia will act if Nato countries cross Ukraine 'red lines', Putin says", "NATO Pushes Back Against Russian President Putin's 'Red Lines' Over Ukraine", "Putin warns Russia will act if NATO crosses its red lines in Ukraine", "Putin Demands NATO Guarantees Not to Expand Eastward", "NATO chief: "Russia has no right to establish a sphere of influence", "Is Russia preparing to invade Ukraine? [116], At the end of November 2020, it became known that the NATO Summit in 2021 would consider the issue of returning to an "open door policy", including the issue of providing Georgia with a MAP. [4][5] Amid the unrest caused by the Euromaidan protests, Yanukovych fled Ukraine in February 2014. [259][260][261], Presidency of Leonid Kravchuk (19911994), Presidency of Viktor Yushchenko (20052010), Applying for Ukraine to join the NATO Membership Action Plan, Presidency of Viktor Yanukovych (20102014), Presidency of Petro Poroshenko (20142019), Presidency of Volodymyr Zelenskyy (from 2019), Russian opposition to Ukrainian NATO membership, Request of guarantees of Ukraine's non-accession to NATO, Ukraine's foreign relations with NATO member states, According to Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, In the United Kingdom, there is no requirement for a formal law approving of treaties before their ratification, but the, He told a conference in Spain: "The emergence of independent states within the former Soviet space is a reality. Ukraine has expressed interest in joining the alliance but has never been formally admitted. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea borders Ukraine to the south. And other questions", " "-" (golosameriki.com)", "Russia signals little optimism on resolving crisis as the West races to shore up support for Ukraine", "U.S., Russia clash sharply over Ukraine at U.N. meeting", "Situation along Russian Federation-Ukraine Border Can Only Be Resolved through Diplomacy, Political Affairs Chief Tells Security Council", "Latest Ukraine Updates: NATO says no sign of Russia de-escalation", "Remarks by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Munich Security Conference session, "Putin orders troops into eastern Ukraine on 'peacekeeping duties', "Statement by the NATO Secretary General on the recognition by Russia of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk, "Russia to recognize LPR, DPR within currently established borders", "Russian Lawmakers Approve Resolution To Recognize Separatist Regions In Ukraine", "Russian lawmakers just gave Putin another way to escalate tensions with Ukrainejust as some of Russia's troops reportedly pull back", "Russia's Federation Council votes for recognition of pseudo-republics "DPR", "LPR", "Ukraine conflict: Biden sanctions Russia over 'beginning of invasion', "Dozens dead and airports bombarded after Putin invades Ukraine live", "Poland will not send fighter jets to Ukraine, says president", "European plan to donate fighter jets to Ukraine collapses", "NATO rejects no-fly zone; Ukraine slams 'greenlight for bombs', "US considers sending F-16s to Poland if Warsaw gives its MIG-29 to Ukraine", "US dismisses Polish plan to provide fighter jets to be sent to Ukraine", "Why Washington shut down Poland's offer to give Ukraine fighter jets", "Polish offer to donate MiG-29 jets to Ukraine takes US officials by surprise", "Poland's Fraught Offer: Fighter Jets for Ukraine, but Only Through U.S. In particular, Russia proposes that NATO renounce the admission of Georgia and Ukraine into NATO, as well as "any military activity on the territory of Ukraine." When Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago last February, the National Atlantic Treaty Organization swiftly condemned the unprovoked assault as a war of aggression against Ukraine, a sovereign and peaceful country. [216] A 2009 Gallup poll showed that 40% of Ukrainian adults associate NATO with "Threat" and 17% with "Protection". Fighting is intense around Bakhmut, according to the Ukrainian military, while Wagner, the Russian mercenary group, said Friday that the fiercely contested eastern city is surrounded. We have a set of legal military-technical measures that we will apply if we feel a real threat to security, and we already feel if our territory is considered as a target for targeted strike weapons. [93], On 29 August 2014, following reports that the Russian military was operating within Ukraine, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arsenii Yatseniuk announced that he would ask the Ukrainian parliament to put Ukraine on a path towards NATO membership. But Putin seriously underestimated Ukraine. Hungary. ', Liverpool plan to be ruthless in 'biggest rebuild for a generation', Tom Sizemore, star of Saving Private Ryan, dies aged 61 after brain aneurysm, Do not sell or share my personal information. Everything else is an issue of political will of those allies who represent NATO. He accused the US and its allies of ignoring Russias demands to block Ukraine from ever joining Nato and to offer Moscow security guarantees. Lavrov said the Kremlin would not wait "indefinitely" for a Western response to Moscow's demands that NATO not expand eastward and deploy troops in Ukraine and other countries of the former Soviet Union. President Putin said the military operation was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine a claim the US had predicted he would falsely make to justify an invasion. I am convinced, and we have already begun to discuss this issue with our colleagues from the Baltic states, NATO could repeat its proposal to provide Ukraine with a membership plan. Oddly enough it's feminists, One of the UK's smallest towns has an award-winning pub and England's oldest fishing society, The golden health rules GPs live by, including why you should ditch your weekend lie-ins, Leaving the city for my kids was the worst decision after 19 months we sold up and came back, When the cost of living payments could be paid in 2023, and how much people will get, Thanks for the WhatsApps, Matt your hypocrisy and appalling judgement have been confirmed, How many episodes of The Last of Us there are and when the series ends, My dream home has more than 100 safety issues - how is this allowed to happen after Grenfell? Also, if adopted, the United States is obliged to consider and vote on whether to grant Russia the status of a "country-sponsor of international terrorism."[134]. [14][215] A Gallup poll conducted in October 2008 showed that 43% of Ukrainians associated NATO as a threat to their country, while only 15% associated it with protection. And for the first time, we now see Beijing joining Moscow in calling on NATO to stop admitting new members. The Kremlin is ready to exchange such an "offer" for the conditions that were put forward earlier the so-called guarantees of the non-expansion of the Alliance to the east. Russia do invade Ukraine, and dis maps help explain how we get to dis point. And recreate [the] spheres of influence. Sweden. Oddly enough it's feminists, One of the UK's smallest towns has an award-winning pub and England's oldest fishing society, The golden health rules GPs live by, including why you should ditch your weekend lie-ins, Leaving the city for my kids was the worst decision after 19 months we sold up and came back, When the cost of living payments could be paid in 2023, and how much people will get, Thanks for the WhatsApps, Matt your hypocrisy and appalling judgement have been confirmed, How many episodes of The Last of Us there are and when the series ends, My dream home has more than 100 safety issues - how is this allowed to happen after Grenfell? [127], On 25 January papers a NATO response was prepared which "firmly ruled out Moscow's core demand against further NATO expansion." On the same day Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said "The main question is our clear message that we consider further NATO expansion to the East and weapons deployment, which can threaten the Russian Federation, unacceptable." NATO countries across the world are standing in solidarity with Ukraine. [81][82], Yanukovych fled Ukraine amid the Euromaidan uprising in February 2014. This was the first cooperation between NATO and Ukraine. NATO allies would not agree with the impossibility of further expansion of the Alliance and a return to the configuration of the late twentieth century, which the Russian side insisted on during the negotiations, the US Deputy Secretary of State said. "[132][133], On 17 December, Russia put forward proposals to limit US and NATO influence on former Soviet states. The US leads a Nato multinational battlegroup stationed in Poland made up of over 1,000 Croatian, Romanian and British troops.