(Reuters) – Russia has issued a warning about the potential “catastrophic consequences” for Europe if the conflict in Ukraine escalates. NATO leaders are gathering at a summit to discuss the possibility of Ukraine joining the military alliance and plan to deliver a positive message to Kyiv. Moscow has attributed its invasion of Ukraine 17 months ago to NATO’s expansion in the east, and the Kremlin has declared that Ukraine’s accession to NATO would pose a direct threat to Russia’s security.
Ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius, senior Russian diplomats have released a series of statements. Konstantin Gavrilov, a senior Russian security negotiator based in Vienna, accused the United States of exacerbating the conflict by providing arms to Ukraine. In an interview with Russia’s RIA news agency, Gavrilov warned that Europe would be the first to experience the catastrophic consequences if the war in Ukraine were to escalate further. However, he did not disclose the nature of these consequences.
Gavrilov stated, “Let’s examine the facts – the United States has little interest in the fate of Europe.” He accused Washington of pursuing an agenda aimed at weakening and undermining Russia. This criticism aligns with Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, who also expressed dissatisfaction with Washington’s “anti-Russian” stance at the Vilnius summit. Antonov wrote in a post on the embassy’s Telegram channel that everything was being done to prepare public opinion for the approval of “anti-Russian decisions” expected to be made in Vilnius.
Regarding the summit in the Lithuanian capital, NATO leaders are expected to endorse the alliance’s first comprehensive plans since the Cold War to defend against any potential attack from Moscow. Russia’s ambassador to Belgium, Alexander Tokovinin, warned that these plans would escalate and prolong NATO’s confrontation with Moscow. Diplomats have indicated that differences are narrowing among the allies concerning Ukraine’s aspirations for NATO membership. However, Ukraine will not receive an invitation to join the alliance while the conflict is ongoing.
Gavrilov confirmed, “Both the United States and NATO recognize that time is not on their side. They are losing in Ukraine.” Kyiv’s counteroffensive, although slower than expected, has reportedly trapped Russian forces in the eastern city of Bakhmut, according to Ukraine’s military. Reuters has not been able to independently verify these claims from the battlefield.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Gareth Jones; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Alex Richardson)
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