NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a press conference in Helsinki with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö that NATO does not see any imminent threat from Russia against any NATO ally.
The Voice of America reported, citing Stoltenberg, that “Russia is now very much engaged in the war in Ukraine, they have moved many forces from areas closer to Finland and the Nordic countries into Ukraine.”
Stoltenberg added, “Later on when the fighting in Ukraine ends, they may be able to re-establish those forces,” but even then, “it doesn’t mean there is any imminent threat against any NATO ally.”
“NATO is 50% of the world’s military might, NATO is the strongest military alliance in the world, and the purpose of standing together with one for all and all for one, our Article 5 about collective defense, is to prevent an attack,” NATO Secretary General said.
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö concurred with Stoltenberg’s points, saying, “Does this mean that we are not preparing? Of course not. The best way to prevent war is to be prepared for it. But the very idea that a country like Russia would somehow attack or intimidate the biggest military alliance in the world – I find that a rather unbelievable notion.”
Norwegian Chief of Defense Erik Kristoffersen told Bloomberg that NATO has only “two to three years” to prepare for a potential confrontation with Russia due to the Kremlin’s military buildup.
The Telegraph also reported that NATO is developing numerous “land corridors” to move US troops and weapons to the front line in case of a Russian war on alliance territory in Eastern Europe.
The German government recently approved new general defense guidelines, replacing those from 1989. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said, “We now feel an increased threatening situation: in cyberspace, from drones over Bundeswehr property, disinformation campaigns and classic sabotage. It is important that we respond to this as a whole,” according to the Daily Mail.
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