Russia warns of "irreversible consequences" of Ukraine's NATO membership

MOSCOW, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday that Ukraine's possible accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will escalate the situation in eastern Ukraine and cause "irreversible consequences."

At a weekly briefing, the ministry's spokesperson Maria Zakharova criticized Kiev's stance on a possible military solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The Ukrainian authorities are massing troops and weaponry as well as calling up military reservists, she said.

Zakharova also pointed to the unfolding "hysteria" of Ukrainian media where Russia is portrayed as a threat.

"We call on the Kiev authorities to adopt a responsible approach and finally start fulfilling their obligations under the Minsk package of measures (on Donbass settlement)," she said, reiterating that this would lead to peace in Ukraine and directly in Donbass.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Donbass on Thursday to assess the situation on the ground amid escalating tensions in the region.

"#NATO firmly supports #Ukraine's sovereignty & territorial integrity. We remain committed to our close partnership," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg tweeted on Tuesday after a phone conversation with Zelensky.

"@NATO is the only way to end the war in #Donbass. Ukraine's MAP (Membership Action Plan) will be a real signal for #Russia," Zelensky then wrote on Twitter.