‘We see a Russia, which has been responsible for aggressive actions against neighbours: Georgia, Ukraine, but also have forces in Moldova without the consent of the government in that country,’ NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said today ahead of next week’s summit.

We don’t see any imminent military threat of Russia against any NATO country, but what we see is a strategic challenge. And we see a Russia which is investing heavily in new, modern capabilities, including nuclear forces, and a Russia which is violating a cornerstone arms control agreement in Europe, the INF Treaty, deploying missiles capable of reaching European cities within minutes, and missiles which are nuclear capable.

And we see a Russia, which has been responsible for aggressive actions against neighbours: Georgia, Ukraine, but also have forces in Moldova without the consent of the government in that country.

So, yes, we have not seen any aggressive actions against a NATO country. But the reality is that that’s exactly why it is so important for NATO to continue to provide credible deterrence and defence, also, in a more unpredictable world, and that’s the reason why we have modernised, invested more and increased the readiness of our forces over the last years,’ Jens Stoltenberg  stressed.

The 29 Nato leaders will gather in Watford near London on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.