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‘Military Schengen’: NATO’s Russia fearmongering aims to attract neutral EU countries into the fold — Russian FM ‘Military Schengen’: NATO’s Russia fearmongering aims to attract neutral EU countries into the fold, Russian FM says
(about 4 hours later)
NATO fans fears of the “resurgent” Russia and drags neutral countries into its orbit, but the fact is that Moscow’s military potential is only half the size of the bloc’s forces in Europe, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.NATO fans fears of the “resurgent” Russia and drags neutral countries into its orbit, but the fact is that Moscow’s military potential is only half the size of the bloc’s forces in Europe, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
Although the European continent has already been “oversaturated with military facilities and weapons,” NATO is “continuing to merge with the European Union,” and has its sights on those EU nations that declared themselves neutral, Lavrov told Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper.Although the European continent has already been “oversaturated with military facilities and weapons,” NATO is “continuing to merge with the European Union,” and has its sights on those EU nations that declared themselves neutral, Lavrov told Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper.
“NATO states are trying to conduct joint exercises, attracting neutral states, such as Finland and Sweden, under the pretext of [their] EU membership,” Russia’s chief diplomat explained.“NATO states are trying to conduct joint exercises, attracting neutral states, such as Finland and Sweden, under the pretext of [their] EU membership,” Russia’s chief diplomat explained.
One of such exercises is Defender Europe 2020, which will involve up to 20,000 US troops along with 37,000 soldiers from 18 countries. NATO claims the war games are not being aimed against any particular country, but the justification is far from convincing, Lavrov said.One of such exercises is Defender Europe 2020, which will involve up to 20,000 US troops along with 37,000 soldiers from 18 countries. NATO claims the war games are not being aimed against any particular country, but the justification is far from convincing, Lavrov said.
All in all, Moscow does understand there is “a small but very aggressive group of countries” in both NATO and the EU that “escalate historical phobias regarding Russia.”All in all, Moscow does understand there is “a small but very aggressive group of countries” in both NATO and the EU that “escalate historical phobias regarding Russia.”
Now, this appetite for expansion doesn’t reflect the strategic posture in Europe, since the North-Atlantic bloc has “two times more” conventional weapons — among them tanks, combat aircraft, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, warships, submarines — in Europe alone.Now, this appetite for expansion doesn’t reflect the strategic posture in Europe, since the North-Atlantic bloc has “two times more” conventional weapons — among them tanks, combat aircraft, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, warships, submarines — in Europe alone.
Brussels strategists have also come up with a notion of “military Schengen” — which explicitly mirrors the free-movement area within the EU — which involves upgrading all transportation routes “so that any large-size military equipment could freely pass eastward.“Brussels strategists have also come up with a notion of “military Schengen” — which explicitly mirrors the free-movement area within the EU — which involves upgrading all transportation routes “so that any large-size military equipment could freely pass eastward.“
Russia will, of course, push back against such pressure, but will do it “in such a way that this does not create unnecessary risks,” Lavrov stated.Russia will, of course, push back against such pressure, but will do it “in such a way that this does not create unnecessary risks,” Lavrov stated.
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