Deputy Secretary General: NATO told Zelenskyy that it does not want to enter into conflict with Russia

The Alliance told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that it does not want to enter into a conflict with Russia, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana said at the Aspen Security Forum, Report informs.

"At the July 11-12 summit in Vilnius, NATO officials explained to Zelenskyy that invitation to Kyiv to join the Alliance would lead to a conflict with Russia, and this was not part of the organization's plans," he added.

"I said that we cannot invite Ukraine today because it could mean that NATO would come into conflict with Russia, which is not in our plans," Geoana added.

At the same time, he emphasized that the Vilnius summit brought Ukraine closer to NATO.