Combat teams driving during joint exercises of the Armed Forces of Russia and Belarus
Brussels:
The NATO chief said on Thursday that Russia’s deployment of military exercises along the borders of Belarus and Ukraine is a “dangerous moment” for European security.
“We are closely monitoring Russia’s deployment to Belarus, the largest since the end of the Cold War,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters at a news conference with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
“This is a dangerous moment for European security. The number of Russian forces is increasing. The warning time for a possible attack is shortening.”
Both Stoltenberg and Johnson warned Russia that NATO was deploying more forces to its eastern member states, such as Poland and Romania, and that Russia’s behavior would not deter them.
Stoltenberg thanked the British leader for sending troops to Poland, saying, “A renewed Russian offensive will make NATO presence more, not less.”
Both leaders said NATO was open to talks with Russia on tensions and arms control, but warned the coalition would not compromise on its open policy.
Russia’s broad demands for security guarantees include insisting that its southern neighbor Ukraine should not be allowed to join NATO.
“When the Berlin Wall fell, the people of Europe made it clear that they wanted their freedom and their security to be tied together.” Johnson said.
“We must resist, we must oppose any return to the days when the fate of nations is decided by a handful of great powers,” he said.
Stoltenberg said he had written a letter to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday, urging Moscow to resume talks under the revived format of the NATO-Russia council.
Since the beginning of the creation of Russia, there have been several attempts to reach Russian President Vladimir Putin, most recently by French President Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
But Russia continues to increase its presence and war-readiness by conducting exercises in Belarus and the Black Sea, while NATO still shores up its eastern flank.
“We are seeing a large gathering of tactical battalion groups on the borders of Ukraine – 70 or more.” Johnson said.
“This is probably the most dangerous moment, I would say, in the next few days, in what is Europe’s biggest security crisis in decades.”
Earlier, ahead of a meeting with British Foreign Minister Liz Truss, Lavrov warned that Western threats would do nothing to ease tensions on Ukraine.
“Ideological approaches, ultimatums, threats – it’s nowhere to go,” Lavrov said, adding that Britain’s relationship with Moscow was “at its lowest point in recent years”.
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