Russia`s permanent representative to NATO, Alexander Grushko, claims there is no Russian military activity in Ukraine, adding that NATO`s recent decision taken at the Warsaw summit to step up their military presence along the Alliance`s eastern flank is counterproductive.
”At any rate, there is no Russian military activity in Ukraine,” he told the press after a NATO-Russia Council meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, answering a question from UNIAN`s correspondent about Russian activity in Ukraine. The Russian military presence has resulted in NATO boosting its strength within the Alliance`s eastern member states.
Speaking about the increased NATO presence, the Russian diplomat said that Russia believes these measures ”have no grounds and are extremely counterproductive…..They are of a confrontational character, and weaken common European security and bring us back to Cold War security patterns,” he said.
”Russia is not a threat to the Alliance`s members,” he added.
Further, he said that NATO`s open door policy ”is not contributing to Europe`s security.”
”The territory of the Alliance`s East European members is being converted into a base for military deployment and for military and political pressure on Russia. All these weaken, not strengthen, security in the region,” he said.