He pointed out that the strengthening of the Alliance in Eastern Europe is not connected with desire to enter into a confrontation with Russia, and is a response to the annexation of Crimea and destabilisation of Eastern Ukraine".
Thus, according to Stoltenberg, in the near future Russia is unlikely to attack nor any of the countries included in the Alliance.
The Secretary General also noted that NATO will not abandon nuclear weapons. "We are most distant from the use of nuclear weapons than ever before. But while the world`s nuclear weapons exist, NATO will remain a nuclear Alliance", — said Stoltenberg.
Strengthening the position of NATO in Eastern Europe is in Moscow for concern. However, in March Stoltenberg said, the expansion of the organization is not due to a deliberate policy of the block, and because of the desire of Eastern European countries to become members. Speaking of the possible accession to Alliance of Georgia and Ukraine, he recalled that NATO has a policy of open doors.
In February 2015, Stoltenberg during a meeting with the Minister of foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov assured, the last steps of the Alliance expansion are defensive. In Moscow, for its part, said that NATO creates additional tension, "provokes confrontation and undermines the whole system of Euro-Atlantic security".
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