MINSK, 27 February (BelTA) - A direct military conflict between NATO and Russia will be inevitable if West sends troops into Ukraine, spokesman for the Russian president Dmitry Peskov told reporters, TASS reported.
"If that happens, then we are talking about inevitability, not probability. This is how we assess it," he said when asked how the Kremlin assesses the probability of a direct clash between NATO and Russia in the event that West sends troops into Ukraine.
Dmitry Peskov said NATO countries should think over the ramifications of such actions and be aware of them too. “They should ask themselves whether this meets the interests of their countries and most importantly, citizens," Dmitry Peskov said.
At the same time, Dmitry Peskov said that some Western countries are clear-eyed about the consequences of sending troops to Ukraine and confirmed that the Kremlin really does not see a consensus among the NATO member states on this matter. "We have also taken note of a very wide range of opinions on the matter. Indeed, there is no consensus. A number of countries that took part in the Paris event maintain a rather reasonable stance on the possible risks of such a move and the potential danger of being involved in a hot conflict, on the battlefield," Dmitry Peskov noted.
Yesterday Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico informed that some EU and NATO member states are considering sending their military to Ukraine based on the relevant bilateral agreements with Kiev.
French President Emmanuel Macron did not rule out such a possibility in the future.
