NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg today warned Russia the alliance would boost defences in member states if the Kremlin threatened their security.
The military coalition’s Secretary-General again hit out at Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine - and vowed solidarity would be maintained among NATO’s 31 countries.
“NATO is there to protect all allies against any threats and if we see a danger, if we see a threat, then NATO will be there - as we have been protecting the airspace and NATO territory for decades,” he said.
“We have the ability to quickly reinforce if needed.”
He warned Moscow: “The whole idea of NATO is that we are ‘one for all, all for one’ - and we do what is needed to protect all allies.”
Former Norwegian Prime Minister Mr Stoltenberg was speaking at the end of a summit of the “Bucharest Nine” nations - Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia - in Slovak capital Bratislava.
The NATO grouping, formed in the Romanian capital in 2015 following Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine a year earlier, comprises nations which were either part of the Soviet Union or the NATO rival, the Warsaw Pact.
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B9 countries vowed that allies would bolster support for Kyiv when NATO leaders meet for their annual summit in Lithuanian capital Vilnius next month.
“We aim for a more robust, multi-year, and comprehensive support package for Ukraine, which will reinforce its defence capabilities also by implementing NATO standards and increasing interoperability with NATO,” they said in a statement.
“In light of Russia’s war of aggression, we will continue our strong support to bolster Ukraine’s capacity to defend itself and to relieve the humanitarian catastrophe.”
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