Russia warns of direct conflict with NATO

Russia on Tuesday (February 27) warned of a direct conflict with NATO if the military alliance deployed its troops in Ukraine.

“The very fact of discussing the possibility of sending certain contingents to Ukraine from NATO countries is a very important new element,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response to Macron’s remarks.

“In that case, we would need to talk not about the probability, but about the inevitability (of a direct conflict with NATO),” he said in reply to questions about a direct Russia-NATO conflict if the Atlantic Alliance sent its troops to fight in Ukraine.

Peskov said NATO member countries must “assess” whether the conflict with Russia “corresponds to their interests and the interests of their people.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that defeating Russia in Ukraine was “indispensable to security and stability in Europe,” amid urgent pleas for more weapons from Kyiv.

“There is no consensus today to send, in an official, endorsed manner, troops on the ground. But in terms of dynamics, nothing can be ruled out,” he said, citing how two years ago, no one thought about sending fighter jets to Ukraine.

“We will do everything that we must so that Russia does not win.”

The Kremlin has assured for months that in Ukraine it is not only fighting against the army of the neighboring country, but against the NATO war machine.

(With inputs from agencies)