Feb 14, 2022: According to a report by Reuters, Ukraine could drop its bid to join NATO to avoid war with Russia, the BBC quoted the country’s ambassador to Britain as saying, in what would amount to a major concession to Moscow in response to the build-up of Russian troops on its borders.

Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko told the BBC that Ukraine was ready to be “flexible” in its goal of joining the Atlantic military alliance, a move that Russian President Vladimir Putin said would trigger a war.

“We might – especially being threatened like that, blackmailed by that, and pushed to it,” Prystaiko was quoted as saying when asked if Kyiv could change its position on NATO membership.

At present, Ukraine is not a member of NATO but has had a promise since 2008 that it will eventually be given a chance to join, a move that would bring the US-led coalition to Russia’s borders. Putin says Ukraine’s growing ties with the alliance could make it a launch pad for NATO missiles that could target Russia.

He says Russia needs to draw “red lines” to stop it. Russia has moved more than 100,000 troops and heavy weapons inside Ukraine in recent weeks, leading the U.S and its western allies to warn against an imminent attack.

Moscow denies planning the attack, calling it a military exercise, but has issued written demands that NATO abandon further expansion to the east, including Ukraine. NATO members have rejected the demand.

Meanwhile, the U.S says Russia could invade Ukraine at any time and might create a surprise pretext for an attack, as it reaffirmed a pledge to defend “every inch” of NATO territory.

On the other hand, Moscow denies any such plans and has accused the West of “hysteria”.

Speaking to the CNN, President Joe Biden’s National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said an invasion could begin “any day now”.

“We cannot perfectly predict the day, but we have now been saying for some time that we are in the window.”

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