NATO Says Russian Federation Significant Direct Threat To Allies
By Donald Standeford, Correspondent - Follow -
Date Published: July 1, 2022 01:20AM UTC
Last Modified: July 1, 2022 01:20AM UTC
EUROPE - NATO leaders have declared that the Russian Federation is the most significant "direct threat" to the security of North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. According to the Lithuanian ministry of defense, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders at the NATO summit agreed that "Russia is a direct threat to NATO", on "new strategic concept" being adopted, reinforcement of NATO's eastern flank with Forward Presence Brigades, increased support for Ukraine, as well as other "security enhancement" measures.
The Lithuanian defense minister Arvydas Anušauskas stated, "NATO leaders have decided on fundamental changes in our defense and deterrence in response to the new security realities. Russia has been identified as a clear threat to Alliance. Number of high-readiness forces on the Eastern flank will be increased".
U.S. President Joe Biden also stated, "Today I'm announcing the United States will enhance our force posture in Europe, and respond to the changed security landscape, as well as strengthening our collective security".
Biden also said "We’re sending an unmistakable message…that NATO is strong, united, and the steps we’re taking during this summit are going to further augment our collective strength".
"We mean it when we say an attack against one is an attack against all", he said to reporters.
NATO Defense Secretary Jens Stoltenberg said "We meet in the midst of the most serious security crisis we have faced since the Second World War" and said, "We’ll state clearly that Russia poses a direct threat to our security".
"Ukraine can count on us for as long as it takes. This includes securing communications and fuel, medical supplies and body armor, equipment to counter mines, and chemical and biological threats, and hundreds of portable anti-drone systems".
Stoltenberg also set NATO's eyes on China in its new "strategic concept" and said that while "China’s not an adversary", "we need to take into account the consequences to our security when we see China investing heavily in new modern military capabilities, long range missiles or nuclear weapons and also trying to control critical infrastructure for instance, 5G".
In another shift of strategic focus to the Indo-Pacific region, both South Korea and Japan also joined the NATO summit.
