BRUSSELS, January 24. /TASS/. NATO is sending additional forces in Eastern Europe due to the situation around Ukraine, the alliance said in a statement, published Monday.

"NATO Allies are putting forces on standby and sending additional ships and fighter jets to NATO deployments in eastern Europe, reinforcing Allied deterrence and defense as Russia continues its military build-up in and around Ukraine," the statement says.

The statement underscores that "in the past days, a number of Allies have made announcements regarding current or upcoming deployments."

"Denmark is sending a frigate to the Baltic Sea and is set to deploy four F-16 fighter jets to Lithuania in support of NATO’s long-standing air-policing mission in the region. Spain is sending ships to join NATO naval forces and is considering sending fighter jets to Bulgaria," the alliance says. "France has expressed its readiness to send troops to Romania under NATO command. The Netherlands is sending two F-35 fighter aircraft to Bulgaria from April to support NATO’s air-policing activities in the region, and is putting a ship and land-based units on standby for NATO’s Response Force. The United States has also made clear that it is considering increasing its military presence in the eastern part of the Alliance."

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the allies’ contribution of additional forces. "NATO will continue to take all necessary measures to protect and defend all Allies, including by reinforcing the eastern part of the Alliance. We will always respond to any deterioration of our security environment, including through strengthening our collective defense," he said.

Recently, claims of Russia’s potential invasion in Ukraine have become frequent in Ukraine and Western states. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called such reports empty and groundless escalation of tensions, underscoring that Russia does not pose any threat to anyone. Peskov noted that provocations may happen in order to justify such claims and warned that such attempts will bear the most serious consequences.