Russia forced to take a decision on Ukraine due to NATO’s intervention: Farooq Abdullah

Russia has been forced to take a decision on Ukraine because of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)’s intervention in the region, said Farooq Abdullah, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, on Saturday. The Lok Sabha member from Kashmir said Russia does not want the Western military alliance on its borders. “Russia thinks that it affects their sovereignty. Russia said, ‘how would America react if missiles were put in Cuba?’ It is for the world to realise their problem as well,” he said.

The National Conference leader said Russia had considered the developments concerning NATO in Ukraine as ‘damaging’. “Russia has done this because of fear…All sides should have realised this …they thought they would be able to do something…Look at the president of Ukraine; he said that he was alone and there was nobody with him,” Abdullah said.The ongoing crisis will also impact the whole world and India’s rate of inflation would increase, he added. “Inflation will increase, and it would be very difficult for the poor to survive and live with honour and dignity. There is no doubt that we want peace to be restored in the region as soon as possible,” Abdullah said. The former union minister also said that India had its own perspective about the situation. “Foreign minister (S. Jaishankar) is trying his best… but India doesn’t have the capacity to really hold these parties apart (from conflict) …Recently, finance minister (Nirmala Sitharaman) also said that it is going to impact us adversely,” he said.