Russia recalls that Ukraine’s possible accession to NATO was the origin of the “special military operation”.

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has recalled that one of the reasons why Russia started the so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine – a euphemism with which Moscow refers to the invasion of its neighboring country – was precisely Kiev’s aspirations to join the Atlantic Alliance.

“It was Ukraine’s orientation toward NATO and the confirmation of Ukraine’s future NATO membership that became one of the reasons for the special military operation,” Peskov was quoted as saying by Russia’s TASS news agency.

According to Peskov, Russian authorities are “very carefully” monitoring the situation regarding Ukraine’s possible NATO membership, especially after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky requested it last week in response to Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions.

The Russian representative recalled that the member states are not in full agreement regarding Ukraine’s fast-track accession and have appealed to “the rule of consensus.” “There are countries that support this option of fast-track entry, and there are countries that do not support it,” he concluded.