RT.com
26 Nov 2021, 01:43 GMT+10
Poland's president, Andrzej Duda, has suggested NATO should expand its presence in Eastern Europe to defend friendly states outside the US-led military bloc.
Speaking with the organisation's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday, Duda cited the alleged recent "relocation of Russian forces around the Ukrainian border." He said that the group should make its presence felt to a greater degree on its eastern flank to "show all potential aggressors that NATO is ready." He went on to describe Kiev as an important external partner, whose security is at stake.
Stoltenberg echoed the Polish president's concerns over Ukraine and called on Russia to "be transparent, reduce tensions and de-escalate the situation." The NATO chief, however, stopped short of commenting on any military expansion near Russia's borders, adding that the foreign ministers of NATO member states will convene in Latvia next week to discuss the situation with their counterparts from Ukraine and Georgia, another country which the bloc is trying to pull into its orbit.
On Sunday, the Kremlin dismissed reports in Western media about Moscow's alleged plans to invade Ukraine as "artificially fomented hysteria." The Russian Foreign Ministry accused NATO of creating tensions along the country's Western border.
Among other hot-button topics that dominated the talks between Duda and Stoltenberg on Thursday was the migrant crisis on the frontier with Belarus. The Polish leader claimed that Minsk was continuing its "hybrid attack," by which he meant "weaponizing" migrants. He asserted that it enjoyed the full support of Moscow in doing so, but noted, however, that the tactics allegedly used by Belarusian authorities at the border have somewhat changed. Now smaller groups of asylum seekers are trying to cross, to the EU, under the cover of darkness, Duda reported, as opposed to previous large pushes in broad daylight.
Stoltenberg, in turn, noted that Warsaw has so far been able to successfully tackle the migrant crisis on its own, without the bloc's direct intervention. Stoltenberg added that NATO stands in solidarity with Poland and is ready to consider any requests for assistance.
Belarus has maintained all along that sweeping Western sanctions are stifling its ability to effectively manage migrant flows headed for the EU. Russia, for its part, has consistently claimed it has nothing to do with the crisis on the EU border.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Herald Globe news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Herald Globe.
More InformationLONDON, U.K.: At least 13 people are believed to have taken their own lives as a result of the U.K.'s Post Office scandal, in which...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Travelers at U.S. airports will no longer need to remove their shoes during security screenings, Department of Homeland...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: An elaborate impersonation scheme involving artificial intelligence targeted senior U.S. and foreign officials in...
SLUBICE, Poland: Poland reinstated border controls with Germany and Lithuania on July 7, following Germany's earlier reintroduction...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: After months of warnings from former federal officials and weather experts, the deadly flash floods that struck the...
MOSCOW, Russia: Just hours after his sudden dismissal by President Vladimir Putin, Russia's former transport minister, Roman Starovoit,...
(Photo credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images) Anthony Volpe scored the tiebreaking run on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Aaron Judge...
(Photo credit: Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images) The Seattle Sounders will be without their captain when they travel to Kansas City, Kan....
(Photo credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images) The Toronto Maple Leafs traded veteran forward Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks in exchange...
(Photo credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images) Dallas Mavericks rookie and No. 1 NBA Draft pick Cooper Flagg contributed 10 points, six...
(Photo credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images) Austin FC will be without its main offensive weapon when it hosts the New England Revolution...
(Photo credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images) Ceddanne Rafaela's two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning highlighted a 2-for-3...