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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Russia’s “aggressive policy” towards its neighbors and the West threatens to unleash a new cold war.
Stoltenberg said in an interview with the British newspaper “The Telegraph” that Moscow’s behavior and persistence in expanding its sphere of influence required a response from NATO, while stressing that NATO did not want to wage a new war or enter into a new arms race.
However, he stressed that NATO must adapt and adapt to the new situations that are occurring in the world, which, according to him, requires a response to what Russia is doing.
Stolstberg asked Moscow to answer some questions related to what was rumored about the attempt to poison Russian opposition leader Alexei Navali with the nerve gas “Novichok”, asking: “How could this happen and how can we see again and again to opposition leaders being subjected to assassination attempts, this is not the time. ” The first in which we see the use of poison against people who oppose the Russian regime, and this makes it more dangerous ”.
The head of the world’s largest military alliance considered that the use of “Novichok” gas in an attempt to kill the prominent Russian opposition is a violation of international law and requires an international response.
Full disclosure
He stressed the need for Russia to submit a “full account statement” of the Novichok program to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, while at the same time emphasizing that those responsible for the attack on Navalny must be held accountable, adding: ” This is exactly what we clearly convey to the Russian authorities. “
The former Prime Minister of Norway insisted that “NATO is built on some core values, including the rule of law and respect for basic democratic rights. Therefore, we will continue to invite Russia and continue to clarify our message that the regime allows opponents to criticize it. “
When asked if he feared another cold war, he said: “This is a different situation, especially since during the Cold War we had two opposing military blocs, Europe was divided and Germany divided.”
“At the same time, we see Russia responsible for aggressive actions against its neighbors, and Russia is trying to reestablish a kind of sphere of influence, we have seen it in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, and this requires a response from NATO. It is exactly that is why we are now implementing the greatest strengthening of our collective defense. ” Since the end of the Cold War “.
“After years of cutting defense spending, all NATO allies are now increasing defense spending and we are modernizing our armed forces, so NATO responds in a proportionate defensive way,” he emphasized.
