BRUSSELS (VG) NATO defense ministers join forces to strengthen the defense of member countries in Eastern and Central Europe. They are now sending an order to their military commanders to plan for a significant increase in NATO’s force structure.
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– I am sorry to have to say that this is the new normal, said Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday afternoon.
– We do not know what will happen, but we know what has happened. Moscow has made it clear that it will challenge the principles of security in Europe. And they have done so with the threat of using force, he said.
Secretary General or Banker
On Wednesday, he received a clear answer from Moscow:
The statements of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg are no longer of interest to Moscow. His arguments are not serious, said Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, at a press conference on Wednesday.
Russia, according to Zakharova, is very unhappy that NATO will not abandon its “open door” policy.
According to the Russian news agency Ria Novosti, she launched a powerful attack on the NATO chief:
“We are not interested, to be honest, I can really tell you, in the statements Stoltenberg makes, whether it is as NATO Secretary General or banker – I have not found out yet,” Zakharova said.
– The statements will not be considered in Moscow as serious arguments. We will focus on a serious conversation if our western partners are ready for it, she added.
No withdrawal
Stoltenberg reiterated on Wednesday afternoon that they still see no signs of any Russian withdrawal of soldiers from the border with Ukraine.
– We see no withdrawal of troops or equipment. But what we see today is that Russia still holds a massive invading force that will be ready to attack, he said.
– It is not too late to take a step back, Stoltenberg continued.
The Russian Defense Ministry said earlier on Wednesday that it is in the process of ending its military exercises, and that soldiers are now being withdrawn from the border areas with Ukraine.
He added that NATO still wants negotiations and a process with Russia to talk about the security situation in Europe – but that Russia has still not responded to the invitation.
Russia’s top team of politicians also appears to be absent from the annual high-profile security conference in Munich. Throughout his years as Secretary General of NATO, Stoltenberg has had his own talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Now it is the NATO chief’s analysis that the security situation in Europe has changed permanently, and that it is Russia’s responsibility.
Within a few weeks, NATO’s military leaders will work out proposals to strengthen NATO’s deployment in eastern and central parts of Europe.
Stoltenberg emphasized that no final decision has yet been made. But he pointed out that Romania has already said it is willing to host a new battle group, and that France has said it is willing to lead it.
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