Stoltenberg: NATO will strengthen its presence in the Black Sea region
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the NATO countries’ Ministry of Defence representatives are going to adopt a package of measures to strengthen the military presence in the Black Sea region at a meeting in February.
Stoltenberg made this statement at a meeting with the new president of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev.
"We see a more aggressive Russia. We see riots and violence in the south, and terrorism. And we see cyber-attacks and hybrid wars," Stoltenberg said.
"Therefore NATO responds. We respond by increasing our presence in the southeast, in the Baltic countries, and in Poland. We are strengthening our presence in the Black Sea region by a complex of measures on land, at sea, and in the air," he said.
According to the Secretary General, the Alliance will complete the package of measures on this matter at the meeting of defense ministers that will be held in February.
Stoltenberg also said that NATO does not want any confrontation with Russia or a new Cold War; however, he noted that all member countries of the Alliance are ready to defend each other.