You're reading: Turchynov: Russian aggression in Crimea pushes Ukraine towards NATO

Russian aggression has pushed Ukraine closer to NATO membership, according to acting president of Ukraine and Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov.

“Russia is very afraid that Ukraine will enter NATO… At the same time it is the Russian Federation that is constantly pushing Ukraine towards NATO with its actions and its troops, who are always located in the Crimea, and if it continues to do so, I don’t rule out that this will happen,” Turchynov said on Ukrainian television’s Shuster Live program on Wednesday night.

He said that the Russian aggression had increased the number of supporters of Ukraine’s joining NATO.

“If Russia doesn’t stop its aggressive actions, it actually pushes Ukraine in this direction every day,” Turchynov said.