At the January 7th Extraordinary meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brussels, ahead of the January 12th meeting of the NATO Russia Council, alliance Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg issued a stark warning of the risk of armed conflict in Europe posed by Russia.
“The Russian military build-up has not stopped, it continues. And they are gradually building up with more forces, more capabilities, we see armoured units, we see artillery, we see combat ready troops, we see electronic warfare equipment, and we see a lot of different military capabilities, which are gradually building up in and around Ukraine.
The United States has been very clear that there’ll be no decisions about European security, no discussions about European security, without the Europeans at the table. And that’s exactly why we welcome that the United States is so closely consulting with NATO Allies… it is very important that European Allies and also Canada are involved and closely consulted with as the United States engages with Russia on these issues.
“And the challenge is that when you see this gradual military build-up combined with the threatening rhetoric. The rhetoric that if you don’t do exactly as we say and agree to our demands, that they know are not acceptable, violating core principles for European security, combined with a track record of Russia that have actually used force against neighbours before, Georgia and Ukraine. The capabilities, the rhetoric and the track record – of course that sends a message that is a real risk for a new armed conflict in Europe.”
- North Atlantic Council calls upon Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine
- UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace warns Putin to pull back from the brink over Ukraine
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