Dmitry Medvedev during a meeting of the General Council of the party "United Russia" in Moscow, on May, 31. Igor' Ivanko/Kommersant/Sipa/APRussia is "threatened" by the potential for Ukraine to join NATO, Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, claimed on Sunday. And Medvedev said Moscow is ready to deliberately make the current conflict a permanent one, because "this is a matter of Russia's existence." Some context: The matter of Ukrainian membership in NATO is one of several issues leaders will tackle when they meet in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on July 11 and 12. The issue will prove one of the biggest flash points for the group, which has managed to remain remarkably united amid Russia’s unprovoked invasion.

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Persons: Dmitry Medvedev, Igor, Ivanko, “, ” Medvedev, Medvedev Organizations: General, NATO, Russia’s Security, Gazeta Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Russian, Lithuanian, Vilnius, Eastern Europe, Kyiv, Europe