11 July 2023 11:20 – Updated 11 July 2023 11:20
There have been no changes in Russia’s nuclear deployment even though it announced it would deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus, according to NATO’s secretary general.
– Russia’s rhetoric around nuclear weapons is reckless and dangerous, says NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg.
He says that NATO is closely monitoring what Russia is doing, and that so far they have not seen any changes in the nuclear deployment that would require a response from NATO.
– But we continue to be vigilant, adds Secretary-General Stoltenberg.
He says that NATO has also seen no signs of movement by the Wagner group in Belarus, a situation they are also monitoring closely.
At the weekend, Poland deployed over 1,000 soldiers in the east of the country. The reason was concern that the Wagner group’s presence in Belarus could lead to increased tension on the border between the two countries.
Nato will gather for further arms support
The NATO summit is to come up with a declaration on further arms support to Ukraine. Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg refers to this as the most important task.
The final declaration will both deal with Ukraine’s path to NATO membership and further military support.
– I will not comment on the specific wording now, but rest assured that the message will be positive, strong and united from the NATO allies. It is both about the way forward towards membership, but also about what is the most urgent task, which is military support, Stoltenberg said on the way to the summit in Vilnius.
He repeated the message that there is no point in talking about Ukrainian NATO membership unless Ukraine wins the war.
– We must ensure that Putin does not win this war, Stoltenberg said.
F-16 – not part of the deal
American fighter jets to Turkey were not part of the agreement in which Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave the green light to Sweden’s NATO application, emphasizes Jens Stoltenberg.
– It is a decision that must be taken by the United States, says NATO’s Secretary General when asked in Vilnius about whether Turkey will be allowed to buy F-16 aircraft from the United States.
Turkey has been clear that there has been no connection between Sweden’s NATO application and the desire to buy the F-16, he points out.
– I welcome all dialogue between Turkey and the US about the F-16, but it is not part of the agreement we entered into yesterday, says Stoltenberg.
2023-07-11 09:20:43
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