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Russia poses no threat to Baltic republics - Czech officials

Jan Kavan said the deployment of NATO battalions was a senseless step from the military point of view as it may only worsen relations with Russia

PRAGUE, May 20. /TASS/. Russia poses no direct threat to the Baltic states but NATO is deploying additional forces there to demonstrate its resolve to protect its eastern flank, Czech General Petr Pavel, the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, and former Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan told the Czech Television on Sunday.

"There is no direct military threat to the North Atlantic Alliance now," said Petr Pavel. "We don’t see the situation as though we are facing Russia’s military aggression. We don’t think there is such a threat. Thanks to the measures we have taken."

Such measures, in his words, included deployment of NATO battalions of about 1,000 servicemen in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. He said such "intimidation measure" was enough.

Meanwhile, Jan Kavan said the deployment of NATO battalions was a senseless step from the military point of view as it may only worsen relations with Russia. "I don’t think there is any evidence of Russia’s aggressive behavior towards the Baltic states," he stressed.