Ukraine's Foreign Ministry demanded Saturday that Russian authorities "stop the practice of threats" to Kiev. ( RIA Novosti )
The Ukrainian ministry also said: "Statements by high-ranking Russian officials are... anti-Ukrainian... and are direct interference in Ukraine's internal affairs."
Army General Yury Baluyevsky, chief of Russia's General Staff, said Friday Russia will be forced to strengthen security on its borders if Georgia and Ukraine join NATO. " Russia will undoubtedly take measures to ensure its security near the state border. These will be both military and other measures," he said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday Russia would do everything possible to prevent its neighbors, Ukraine and Georgia, being admitted to NATO.
"We will do everything possible to prevent the accession of Ukraine and Georgia to NATO and to avoid the possible worsening of relations with the alliance, its leading member states and our neighbors," he said in an interview with the Moscow-based Ekho Moskvy radio.
At a summit in Bucharest on Thursday, NATO members decided to postpone offering Georgia and Ukraine the chance to join the alliance's Membership Action Plan (MAP), but promised to review the decision in December. The ex-Soviet republics had received strong U.S. backing for their bids.