This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that NATO foreign ministers plan to discuss Russia’s military buildup at a two-day videoconference about the future of the alliance that begins on December 1.
Stoltenberg made the remarks during a virtual press conference from Brussels on November 30.
Stoltenberg said Russia’s buildup around the alliance is a key issue and that minister will debate “what more we should do to respond to Russia’s growing military activity, and to maintain the arms-control regime — including limitations on nuclear warheads, as the New START treaty is due to expire next February.”
“Russia is modernizing its nuclear arsenal and fielding new missiles,” Stoltenberg said. “It is deploying more forces in our neighborhood, from the High North to Syria and Libya. We also see an increased Russian presence as a result of the crises in Belarus and Nagorno-Karabakh.”
Stoltenberg said the NATO foreign ministers also will be joined by the foreign ministers of Georgia and Ukraine “in a separate session” in order “to address the security situation in the Black Sea region and our support for these two valued partners.”
