2023-06-28 04:23:02
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed on Tuesday that the bloc is ready to defend itself once morest any threat from “Moscow or Minsk”, following Belarus received the commander of the Wagner Military Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Stoltenberg said that NATO will strengthen its defenses at a summit to be held next week in Lithuania in order to protect all its members, especially those bordering Belarus, Russia’s ally.
In a statement to reporters, the Secretary-General of NATO said: “It is too early to issue a final assessment on the repercussions of the fact that Prigozhin moved to Belarus, where he will also likely station some of his forces.”
Wagner’s thugs
Stoltenberg said following a banquet with the leaders of seven countries in The Hague: “What is quite clear is that we sent a clear message to Moscow and Minsk that NATO exists to protect every ally and every inch of its territory.”
He continued: “There is no room for misunderstanding in Moscow or Minsk regarding our ability to defend allies in the face of any potential threat.”
The President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausida, warned of the danger of stationing Wagner fighters in Belarus.
He said in a press conference: “If Wagner spreads its thugs in Belarus, all neighboring countries will face the risk of greater instability.”
Prigozhin arrived in Belarus on Tuesday, following leading a rebellion over the weekend that posed the greatest threat to the rule of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Anarchy in Russia”
A former Kremlin ally, Prigozhin has created the most powerful private army and recruited thousands of prisoners to fight in Ukraine.
Stoltenberg stressed that the West should not underestimate Russia despite the chaos that prevailed over the weekend.
He stressed the importance of continuing to support Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion, pointing out that the members of the alliance will chart a course to grant Kiev membership in the bloc.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who hosted the dinner, rejected Putin’s statements accusing the West of seeking to push the Russians into a fight.
“I refute Putin’s suggestion yesterday that we in the West want Russia to slide into internal chaos,” Rutte said, noting that “on the contrary, instability in Russia creates instability in Europe.”
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