Georgia, Ukraine Not In Running For NATO

MOSCOW, Russia -- The former Soviet states Georgia and Ukraine are not being considered for admittance to NATO, Russia's envoy to that body said.

Dmitry Rogozin
Both countries have asked to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, but the issue remains hotly debated.

Russia has asked both countries not to join, fearing their membership in NATO could harm Russia's security, RIA Novosti reported Friday.

"NATO is currently considering the admission of only one country, which is Croatia," said Dmitry Rogozin, the Russian representative to NATO.

"My partners are skeptical about the admission of Macedonia and Albania. There are no discussions at all about Ukraine and Georgia."

Russia is wary about NATO's ongoing expansion. At his last annual press conference in the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin warned that Russia could re-target its missiles on Ukraine if that country joined NATO.

Source: UPI