MOSCOW, Jan 23Former NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hop Scheffer said that Ukraine will not become a member of NATO in the near future. «In the foreseeable and unforeseen future, they (Ukraine) will not become a member of NATO. And I think that the whole group at the table in Bucharest (in 2008 ) knew this. It was already clear that for opponents (Ukraine's NATO membership) this (delay in joining the alliance) would last until hell freezes over,» the Financial Times quoted the ex-secretary general as saying. the need to officially disavow the decision of the 2008 NATO Bucharest summit that Ukraine and Georgia would become NATO members, as contrary to the commitment of the leaders of all OSCE participating States not to strengthen their security at the expense of the security of others. According to the publication, under de Hop Scheffer in 2008 the alliance announced that Ukraine would «become a member.» He now claims that the promise he made to Kiev was «an ugly compromise.»The death of diplomacy: the United States destroys all rules»Although then and to this day he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) knew perfectly well … that NATO and the Americans would never fight Russia over Ukraine,» the former secretary general said. Kiev and Western states have recently expressed concern about the alleged increase in «aggressive actions» by Russia near the borders of Ukraine. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is moving troops within its territory and at its own discretion. According to him, this does not threaten anyone and should not worry anyone. Russia has repeatedly rejected the accusations of the West and Ukraine of «aggressive actions», stating that it does not threaten anyone and is not going to attack anyone, and statements about «Russian aggression» are used as an excuse to deploy more NATO military equipment near Russian borders. The Russian Foreign Ministry previously noted that Western statements about «Russian aggression» and the ability to help Kiev defend itself against it are both ridiculous and dangerous. >Le Figaro: NATO is preparing for a «war» with Russia in the Baltics
