WASHINGTON, January 25. /TASS/. NATO expects to prove to Moscow that it is ready to defend itself, but is not seeking to provoke a direct conflict with Russia, US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander said.
Speaking at the Caspian Policy Center (CPC), the US official was asked how NATO was planning to boost security in the Black Sea region without entering a direct confrontation with Russia. She replied that NATO will pursue this goal in accordance with decisions and instructions developed between the Madrid summit of 2022 and the Vilnius summit in 2023. During the 2023 summit, NATO leaders approved the plan of deploying 300,000 servicemen on NATO’s eastern flank.
"Those are defensive capabilities. They are meant to make it very clear that NATO can and will defend itself," she said. "The goal is not to provoke a war with Russia. The goal is to make it very clear that the Russian leadership should not even be tempted to imagine that NATO is not unified, capable, determined and able to defend itself."
In July 2023, NATO leaders, who met in Vilnius, approved a plan of deploying 300,000 on NATO’s eastern flank, along with significant naval and aerial support.
Besides, on the sidelines of the NATO summit, the Group of Seven adopted a declaration on long-term security guarantees to Ukraine. More countries jointed the declaration later. In particular, the document promises a considerable military potential for Ukraine. Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov slammed this decision as erroneous and potentially dangerous, because it infringes upon Russia’s national security.