A NATO summit set for Warsaw in July comes at a “critical time†as the alliance deals with Russian assertiveness and the threat of terrorism amid other challenges, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday.
Stoltenberg was speaking following talks with Poland’s Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz, who said that a bigger NATO presence in Eastern Europe would mean a greater sense of security for Poland.
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They were discussing preparations for the July 8-9 summit, which is to decide how many additional NATO troops will be deployed on the eastern flank, and where exactly. Concerned over Russia’s actions, Poland has been seeking a significant, permanent NATO presence on its territory and the region.
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Stoltenberg said the summit comes amid a “more assertive Russia, intimidating its neighbors, and changing borders by force,†violence in North Africa and the Middle East and terrorism, cyberattacks and ballistic missile proliferation.
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He said NATO is responding by “implementing the biggest reinforcement of our collective defense since the end of the Cold War.†Â
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In Moscow, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov said Russia will take measures in response to an increased NATO military presence close to its borders, but did not give details.
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“We have to ensure the security of our state,†Russia’s TASS agency reported Meshkov as saying.
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NATO’s enhanced presence already includes a significant increase in the number of troops ready for quick reaction, speeding up decision-making and holding a greater number of major international military exercises, like Anaconda-16, which will involve some 30,000 troops in Poland in June. [Read More]
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Source: VOA News: Top Stories
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