NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Monday said the 31-member Alliance is monitoring the situation in Russia but noted that the recent events are an internal matter of Russia.
“We are monitoring the situation in Russia. The events over the weekend are an internal Russian matter. And yet another demonstration of the big strategic mistake that President Putin made with his illegal annexation of Crimea and the war against Ukraine,” he told a joint press conference with President Gitanas Nauseda of Lithuania during a visit to Vilnius.
The two leaders discussed final preparations for the Vilnius Summit, which will take place on 11 and 12 July.
This includes a multi-year package of assistance and upgraded political ties with Ukraine, as well as reinforcing Allied deterrence and defence – with new regional plans, and a rotational model for air and missile defence, he noted.
“The accession of Finland – and soon Sweden – to NATO significantly enhances the security in the Baltic Sea region,” said the NATO chief.
On his part, the Lithuanian President said last weekend’s events in Russia “demonstrates the instability of the Kremlin regime.” “We can accept some other even greater challenges in the future. This undoubtedly has implications for the security situation both in Lithuania and the region. Having the Wagner group in Belarus may become an additional factor,” he said.
At the NATO summit in Vilnius “we must clearly state that Ukraine will become a NATO member as soon as possible,” added Nauseda.
Source: Kuwait News Agency
