NATO does not see an imminent military threat from Russia.
(Baonghean.vn) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg disagrees with recent claims that Moscow is seeking to undermine the Balkan region.
On November 21, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters that there was no imminent military threat from Russia to any NATO member or to the Balkan region.
According to RT, Stoltenberg is currently visiting North Macedonia, a former Yugoslav republic that joined NATO in 2019. During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, he was asked about recent statements by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky that Russia plans to destabilize the Balkans.
The Norwegian politician replied: “We don’t see any imminent military threat from Russia to any NATO ally or region. But of course, we remain vigilant. We are closely monitoring what Russia is doing and we remain united.”
He noted that NATO has troops in the region under the KFOR mission in Kosovo, a headquarters in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and an office in Serbia, and is “ready to quickly reinforce and do what is necessary to defend and protect all allies against any threat.”
"But, to reiterate, we currently do not see any imminent military threat to any NATO ally," said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Mr. Stoltenberg was in Skopje as part of a tour of the former Yugoslavia, and had already visited Sarajevo, Belgrade, and Pristina. Of all the former Yugoslav republics, only Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia remain outside the US-led bloc.
While Stoltenberg reiterated NATO's standard arguments regarding the conflict in Ukraine, his emphasis that there was no threat from Russia directly contradicted what Zelensky had asserted last week.
Earlier, speaking to reporters from Africa last Thursday, the Ukrainian leader asserted that Moscow was behind the current conflict in the Middle East and was plotting to undermine the Balkan countries and Moldova in order to divert the world's attention from Kyiv.
"Pay attention to the Balkans. Believe me, we're getting information: Russia has a long-term plan. In the Middle East, and at least in the Balkans, if the countries of the world do nothing now, there will be another explosion like this."
According to RT, the Ukrainian president has repeatedly complained that the war between Israel and Hamas, which broke out in October, has pushed Ukraine out of the West's attention. The EU has been unable to approve additional financial and military aid to Kyiv, while the White House is struggling to push Congress through another funding bill for Ukraine.
