WASHINGTON, June 27 NATO does not consider itself a party to the conflict in Ukraine, but considers itself entitled to provide support to it, US Permanent Representative to the Alliance Julianne Smith said on Thursday.
«NATO is not a party to this conflict, but we consider ourselves entitled to provide support to Ukraine,» Smith said during a discussion on the Ukrainian conflict organized by the Washington Post.
The diplomat also drew attention to the fact that Moscow is actively developing ties with China and North Korea, which, in Washington's opinion, is evidence of Russia's isolation.
Russia believes that arms supplies to Ukraine hinder the settlement, directly involve NATO countries in the conflict and are «playing with fire.» Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine would be a legitimate target for Russia. According to him, the US and NATO are directly involved in the conflict, including not only by supplying weapons, but also by training personnel in Great Britain, Germany, Italy and other countries. The Kremlin stated that pumping weapons into Ukraine by the West does not contribute to negotiations and will have a negative effect.