Russia's Foreign Ministry has issued a stern warning that NATO's increased military presence on its borders will not go unanswered. Deputy spokesman Andrey Nastasyin stated that the country will not tolerate the threat to its security posed by NATO's military build-up on its borders.
The warning comes as NATO members, including the US, are bolstering their military presence in the region. Nastasyin specifically cited the Finnish parliament's approval of a defense agreement allowing the US access to 15 military bases in Finland as an example of NATO's aggressive expansion.
Nastasyin also criticized NATO's attempts to extend its influence to other regions, including the South Caucasus, and accused the US and its European allies of being dissatisfied with the situation in Ukraine and attempting to create chaos in neighboring countries.
He pointed out that NATO's approach has led to disastrous results in the past and accused the organization of trying to divide the South Caucasus region and undermine security mechanisms in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
The Russian diplomat also accused Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia of adopting a "destructive approach" toward the South Caucasus and warned that security and stability in the region should be ensured by the countries in the region themselves.
The statement is likely to escalate tensions between Russia and NATO, which have been strained in recent years over issues such as Ukraine and Syria.
News ID : 3453