The Kremlin on Tuesday said that Russia considers Ukraine's potential NATO membership a threat.
"Such a decision is, of course, potentially unacceptable for us, because it is a threatening event for us," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow.
Saying that the idea of Ukraine joining NATO is in "absolute contrast" to Russia's thesis on the "indivisibility of security," Peskov claimed that the security of one country cannot be ensured at the expense of the security of another.
This possibility does not eliminate the "root cause" of what is happening now in Ukraine, he added.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that they will not accept any alternatives or substitutes for Kyiv's full NATO membership, arguing that that this is the only real security guarantee for the country.
The statement came as Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha headed to Brussels to take part in a NATO foreign ministers meeting starting Tuesday.
Russia began its war on Ukraine in February 2022, over 1,000 days ago, partially based on the claim that Kyiv was close to joining NATO. At the time it was not, and although membership is closer now, it remains a distant prospect, especially as long as the war continues.
On German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's remarks in support of Ukraine on a visit to Kyiv on Monday, Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to dialogue with Scholz.
"Of course, it makes sense to continue contacts, there is always (sense) to renew them. The president has repeatedly said that he remains open to dialogue in terms of achieving our goals," he stressed, referring to Vladimir Putin.
Peskov further said Europe is still pursuing their "destructive line" of continuing the Ukraine war, and that Moscow will continue to try and achieve its objectives as part of the ongoing conflict.
He also accused the current US administration under outgoing President Joe Biden of pursuing its own "consistent line" to not let the Ukraine war slow down, as well as doing "everything possible to continue adding fuel to the fire."
On a visit to Russia by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, he said it is not on Putin's schedule until the end of the year, though preparations for the visit are underway.
