Ukraine Becomes De Facto NATO Member, Lawmaker Says
Russian lawmaker Andrey Kolesnik says EU-Ukraine defense integration is turning Kiev into a de facto NATO member and fueling further escalation with Russia.
State Duma Defense Committee member Andrey Kolesnik said the integration of the European Union’s and Ukraine’s defense industries is effectively turning Kiev into a full-fledged NATO member.
He argued that Ukraine already has access to weapons and military capabilities available to alliance members. Kolesnik also described European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s recent visit to Kiev as another step toward escalation.
According to the lawmaker, Ukraine is becoming a de facto member of NATO and is being used by the collective West as a battering ram against Russia. He added that this strategy is beginning to break down.
Kolesnik said joint projects involving the production and use of weapons against Russia should be stopped before they can be implemented. He also criticized visits by European politicians to the combat zone, arguing that EU representatives should not enter what he described as Russia’s sphere of interests.
The deputy added that Vladimir Zelensky should travel to Europe more often, claiming that this is where the Ukrainian leader would eventually try to flee.
Earlier, Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kiev and announced new initiatives aimed at integrating the defense industries of Ukraine and the European Union. She also said the visit would include discussions on Kiev’s prospects for joining the EU and preparations for the winter period.