NATO's priority is to defend its members, Ukraine isn't one: French Defense Minister

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The French defense minister, Florence Parly, said that no European state nor the US wants a direct military confrontation with Russia, because Russia is a nuclear power.

"We did not declare war on Russia. I don’t think any European state or the US wants to fight with Russia," she said. "Our goal is to achieve a ceasefire."

In Russian President Vladimir Putin's speech yesterday - when he declared the authorization for an intervention in Ukraine - Putin warned the international community that there will be “consequences greater than any you have faced in history” if they were to intervene in Ukraine.

In response to the repeatedly asked question of whether France has intentions to militarily intervene in Ukraine against Russia, Parly asked, "Do you want a nuclear war?"

"Nuclear weapons are weapons of deterrence, which must not be used," Parly said, noting that NATO has nuclear weapons too. 

The French minister explained that the priority agreed on between France and NATO is to ensure the security of the member states (especially eastward), and "Ukraine is not a part of the alliance."

Earlier, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky expressed frustration over empty promises of NATO membership and defense against a "Russian invasion."

“I am asking them, ‘Are you with us?’ They say they are with us, but they are not ready to accept us in NATO. All of them are afraid,” Zelensky said. “The fate of the country depends on our army and our security forces.”

Furthermore, Parly disclosed that France has been supplying Ukraine with "defense" supplies, without giving much detail. 

"We do not ship military equipment like humanitarian aid. There are very strict rules for such cargo, and we adhere to these rules. But we realize that the situation is very serious," Parly said, adding that France is reviewing Ukrainian authorities' requests, and that paris will have a "very fast" response.