NATO official: “Nobody will force Ukraine into NATO”

Read it in Russian

December 14 is the second day of visit to Crimea of Michel Duray, Director of the NATO Information and Documentation Center in Kiev, Ukraine. Yesterday, Crimean Supreme Council Chair Anatoly Gritsenko met the guest under his request. As a REGNUM correspondent is told at the Crimean Supreme Council press office, Gritsenko “informed Mr. Duray on public opinion in the autonomy concerning the discussion of Ukraine’s joining NATO.” At that he stressed that “the events in Feodosya this summer showed that most Crimean resident are negative on this idea.” Duray said that Crimeans do not have enough information on the North-Atlantic Alliance and expressed hope for future meetings in Crimea.

Ion the same day, the NATO official met deputy envoy of Ukrainian president in Crimea Alexander Levchenko. Duray noted that “nobody intends to force Ukraine into the North-Atlantic alliance.” “We would rather not persuade anyone, let the people choose, because it is them who should choose!” the NATO official exclaimed in Russian for protocol video footage. “Democracy is the right of a nation and population to choose their future. But let them know why they do it! Today there is not enough information for it.”